Vari's Choices

by Laura Jo Phillips

  An indistinct shimmering in the air was her only warning before Declan appeared in the exact spot she’d arrived in. She wished Kai had come with her instead of Declan, but they hadn’t asked for her preference.

  Declan looked around the tiny room. “This room is even smaller than I expected despite your warning. Did you not say you were a first class passenger?”

  “Only first class staterooms have private baths.”

  “I’ve never thought of myself as being claustrophobic before,” he said, turning to face her. “Where do we begin?”

  “Pandora went to get Ria and Shanti. We need to wait for them.”

  “Vari, before I activate my mission cam, I’d like to say something. I know this is neither the time, nor the place, but we might not have another chance.”

  “All right,” she said warily.

  “Jay, Kai, and I are extremely sorry for our unwarranted and unfair display of anger toward you this morning. We had no right to speak to you as we did, or to take our feelings out on you.

  “Believe it or not, we’re grateful to you for pointing out a rather large flaw in our characters that we honestly hadn’t recognized. Now that we’re aware of it, we will correct it, you have my word on that.

  “If, in light of this promise, you think you might one day be able to forgive us, we ask that you consider giving us another chance.”

  Vari opened her mouth, then closed it when a soft knock sounded on the door. She squeezed past Declan who side stepped into the bathroom doorway. He had to bend his neck to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe, and he spent a couple of seconds staring into the tiny bathroom in disbelief before turning around.

  “Who is it?” Vari asked in a low voice.

  “It’s me,” Shanti said.

  When Vari reached to unlock the door, Declan activated the mission cam. He wished he didn’t have to since he hadn’t gotten an answer from Vari, but protocol was protocol.

  Once Shanti was inside, Vari closed the door, locked it, then turned to face her. She realized immediately that her friend was barely hanging onto her composure, and wished more than ever that she could give her a hug.

  Shanti glanced quickly at Declan, so Vari introduced them, then moved to more pertinent matters. “It didn’t take Pandora long to find you. You must have been in your stateroom.”

  “I was,” Shanti agreed. “I try to stay out of the Doftle’s sight as much as possible. How long have you been here?”

  “No more than a minute or two. Hopefully it won’t take Pandora long to find Ria.”

  “I don’t think you’re going to be able to convince her to leave, Vari. When I told her that I was sure you’d find a way to rescue us, she told me that as long as these people needed her, this is where she’d remain.”

  “Rajne,” Vari swore. “Once Ria puts her stubborn pants on there’s no budging her.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “I assume she spends most of her time in the infirmary.”

  “Not exactly. She does spend a lot of time there, of course, but she also spends time searching for people who need her particular sort of help. That usually means the cafeteria, the ballroom, the theatre, places like that where people tend to gather.”

  Vari nodded, then set the matter of her sister aside for the moment. “We know that all comms and security systems are down, and we know about the passengers that were murdered. Aside from that, is there anything you can tell us?”

  “Yes,” Shanti replied, her lips trembling. “They put some kind of invisible energy barrier on every doorway they don’t want us going through. They didn’t warn us about them, either.”

  “Invisible energy barrier?” Vari asked, Shanti’s expression telling her that she wasn’t going to like whatever she was about to hear.

  “If someone enters an area they shouldn’t, there’s this bright blue flash and they’re vaporized in an instant.” Shanti’s hands were shaking so hard that she stuffed them into her pockets to control them.

  “Tell me,” Vari said softly.

  “Geoff,” Shanti whispered. Vari reached out, then dropped her arms to her sides.

  “I’m so sorry, Shanti.”

  Shanti nodded, then wiped her eyes with her fingers before sticking her hands back in her pockets. “Will you be able to save all these people, Vari?” she asked once she'd collected herself.

  “We’re going to try. I wish I could promise you, Shanti, but I can’t.”

  “I don’t need a promise, Vari. Not from you. I know you’ll do everything you can.”

  “I hope your faith in me isn’t misplaced. Is there anything else you can think of to tell us?”

  “Yes, sorry, I should have told you right away.”

  “Told us what?”

  “About the Doftles. There are six on Deck One. Three in Control, and three in Transport, back near the stern. Someone Geoff knows and trusts told him there are three more guarding Atmosphere Control on Deck Five. Rumor has it that there are more, but the number changes. Geoff suspected there were some in the engine room because he said it would be stupid not to cover the engine room, and he didn't think the Doftles were stupid.

  “I told him you'd find a way to help us, and he wanted to have as much information for you as possible when you got here. So he and his friend, Smythe, decided to sneak down to the engine room early this morning to find out for certain whether or not there’re Doftles there.”

  “How far did he get?”

  “Deck Five. Going down to the employee staterooms is fine, but when Geoff went through the security door at the foot of the stairs...well...Smythe said there was just a blue flash, and that was it.”

  “I’m so sorry, Shanti,” Vari said again, wishing she could think of something better to say. Shanti nodded and tried to smile, but Vari knew she was struggling to hold the tears back. She did the only thing she could to help, and changed the subject. “Are they keeping an eye on the passengers?”

  “Not at all. Except for…well…the older people, they’ve left us alone unless someone tries to enter the areas they’ve told us to stay away from.”

  “We’re going to send you over to the Bihotza now,” Vari said, glancing quickly at Declan, who handed her a black plastic device the size of her palm with a clip on the back. He then tapped his vox and began speaking into it while Vari clipped the transponder to Shanti’s shirt. “Your aunt is very anxious to see you. She’s been really worried so you need to let her fuss over you some, okay?”

  Shanti gave her a little smile, but it was real. “I’ll do my best,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t need me to stay here?”

  “Positive.”

  “What about Ria?”

  “I don’t know yet.”

  Shanti nodded, then pressed her palms together and bowed her head over them. “Goslov vodi zeterin, Varia Lobo.”

  “Hari kna, Shanti,” Vari replied, before activating the transponder and stepping back. A few moments later Shanti shimmered, then vanished.

  “What did she say that you just thanked her for?” Declan asked.

  “Blessed be thy steps is as close as I can translate to Standard. Basically it’s a blessing on our endeavor.”

  Pandora suddenly reappeared just inside the door. She looked at Vari with an expression of surprise on her face. “Did Shanti not come?”

  “She did. She’s just been transported to the Bihotza. Did you find Ria?”

  “She refuses to leave. She said for you to do as you must, and she will do the same. I’m sorry, Vari, but I couldn’t change her mind.”

  “It’s all right Pandora, I certainly don’t blame you for Ria’s choices.”

  “Must we go and force her?” Declan asked, attempting to hide his annoyance.

  Vari shook her head. “She won’t cooperate, Declan. We’d have to chase her down and wrestle her to the floor to put a transponder on her. We can’t afford to do that, and Ria knows it.”

  “You’re risking your life to save her,” Declan
said with a frown. “Why would she behave in such a contrary manner?”

  “Ria’s a healer, and she has a special gift for soothing and calming people. The people here need her help, and she will not abandon them.”

  Declan had to admit that it was an honorable reason, but it didn’t change the position they were now in. “It’s our primary directive to see that she be transported to safety.”

  “That’s if we’re unable to retake the ship,” Vari said. “I love my sister very much, and I want to get her to safety first and foremost. But she’s an adult, and she’s made her choice. We can’t put fifteen…fourteen thousand lives in jeopardy so we can chase Ria down no matter how much I wish we could, and Ria knows that as well as I do. If we fail to retake the Leaper, then I’ll find her and transport her no matter what she does or says.”

  “I don’t like it, but you’re right,” Declan said. “If we make a scene trying to catch Ria, we risk the lives of everyone else on this ship.”

  Vari could only nod while blinking away the threat of tears for her sister. Declan politely pretended not to notice even though what he wanted to do more than anything was hold her in his arms. “Engine room?”

  “That’s up to you, Declan.”

  “Shanti’s information was extremely helpful. But we still need to get control of the Leaper before we can do anything else.”

  “Engine room it is then,” she said, reaching into the closet for a plastic hanger which she snapped into pieces. She slid three of them under her waistband. “Can you block or disable those energy barriers Shanti told us about?”

  “I won’t know for certain until I try but I don’t think I’ll have any trouble if it's a single function device as she described," Declan replied, setting his curiosity about the hanger aside.

  “It’s a long walk to the stairs we need to use, so we have to keep our eyes open in case any of the Doftles go wandering.” Declan nodded. “Pandora, go back to Ria and stay with her, please. You don’t need to let her know you’re there, just keep an eye on her. If we’re unable to retake the ship, I’ll need to be able to get to Ria as fast as possible and there won’t be time to search for her.”

  An expression came over Pandora’s face that Vari knew all too well. She clenched her jaw, but remained silent as she watched, and waited.

  “They agree, Vari,” Pandora said finally. Vari’s eyes narrowed angrily but Pandora acted as though she didn’t notice. “Good luck to you both,” she said, then winked out of sight.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  "Wait," Declan said. "What did Pandora mean? Who agrees?"

  "I’m sorry, Declan, but I can't tell you that."

  “Yes you can, Vari,” Pandora said into her mind. “They agreed to your request to tell your Rami what you will. Honestly, do you think I’d do such a thing otherwise?”

  “I changed my mind.”

  “Why?”

  “Stay out of this Pandora. I mean it. Please go find Ria and remain with her.”

  “As you wish,” Pandora said with a parting sound of disapproval.

  Vari put Pandora from her mind, turned to the door, opened it, and stepped out into the corridor. After checking to see that the corridor was empty, she turned left and started walking.

  Declan walked beside her, keeping to the slow, casual pace she set as she strolled along, giving every impression that she had a destination but wasn’t in a hurry to get there. She navigated the maze like corridors without hesitation, turning right, then left, then right again so many times that Declan very much doubted that even his dracon could retrace their steps. They encountered very few people, but every one of them kept their heads down and shot them furtive, suspicious glances before hurrying on their way.

  They finally reached the stairwell door that would take them down to Deck Five, and Declan followed her through it with relief. The slow pace she’d set had been the right thing to do, but it had worn on his nerves. He waited for the door to swing shut before tapping her lightly on the shoulder before she started down.

  “How many flights down?”

  “Three.”

  “Let’s use some speed.” She nodded and he picked her up, then began moving so fast that everything around them blurred. A couple of seconds later he set her down in a landing that, unlike the others, had two doors instead of one.

  The door on the left opened onto the portion of the deck where crew and personnel quarters were located. The other door was painted red, and Vari knew from her visits to Ria’s stateroom that it was always closed and locked. Now the security panel on the wall beside it was dark and clearly inoperative, the door propped open invitingly.

  Trying hard not to think about the fact that Geoff had died right where they now stood just a few hours earlier, Vari removed one piece of the hanger from her waistband, broke it in half, and tossed a piece through the open doorway. It vanished in a bright blue flash, leaving no trace behind. Vari shivered, having no doubt whatsoever that they would have crossed the threshold if not for Shanti’s warning.

  Declan moved closer to the doorway and sent a thin tendril of Air through it, searching for the deadly device. He wasn’t surprised to find it in the first place he checked; just above the door frame on the opposite side. He sent the Air tendril into the device’s housing and hardened it, crushing the interior to dust while leaving the exterior shell untouched and intact. He stepped back and Vari tossed a hanger piece through. It landed with a clatter on the other side. Vari released a slow breath of relief, then walked through the doorway and picked up the plastic, returning it to her waistband.

  On the wall in front of them was a sign indicating that the Atmosphere Control room was to their right, and access to the engine room was to the left. She turned to Declan, pointed to the sign, and raised her brows in silent question.

  He thought a moment, then shook his head. It was tempting to verify the presence of Doftles in Atmosphere Control, but gaining control of the engine room, and ultimately the Leaper, had to come first.

  Vari nodded and gestured to the left, hoping he would take the lead since she'd never been in this part of the ship and had no more knowledge of what was to come than he did. He nodded his agreement and started walking with her at his side. Realizing they were out of the more populated areas of the ship, he soon picked up the pace.

  Since this was an area not meant for passengers the floors were bare, the lights dim, the corridor narrow and painted an ugly flat gray. As they walked, Vari lowered her shield and sent her senses out.

  “I’m not picking up any mental voices nearby,” she said in a low voice. “I think we can move faster if you want.”

  Declan nodded and they began jogging. A couple of minutes later they reached the end of the corridor. Before turning the corner, Vari lowered her shield further. She caught the deep buzz of the passengers from above, and another, closer hum of sound that she couldn’t identify, but nothing close by. She wished she could block the voices from above while still listening for voices ahead of them. Almost before she finished the thought, she realized she could. And how.

  Concentrating hard, she shifted her shield so that it covered the area above her, while leaving an area in front of her exposed. Her efforts were clumsy, but she knew with a little practice she’d get better at it. With a smile that left Declan blinking in surprise, she let him know the way ahead was clear.

  They jogged half way up that corridor until they came to another red metal door. Vari tossed a section of hanger through and it vanished in a flash just like the first one had. Declan destroyed the inner workings of the Doftle mechanism, Vari tested it with the last large section of hanger, and they passed through. She picked it up, hoping there wouldn’t be too many more doors.

  The engine room was much deeper than the decks above in order to accommodate the massive engines, power systems, and fuel tanks, so the next flight of stairs was several stories high, each story broken into two shorter lengths of stairs with a switch back between each one. Var
i lowered her shield further, but caught nothing clear enough to identify.

  Moving more cautiously now, Declan led the way down the stairs, not at all surprised to find that Vari’s footsteps on the metal stairs were as silent as his own. When they reached the bottom they found themselves in another enclosed landing. There was only one door this time, and it was both closed and locked.

  Declan approached the door to find and destroy the energy mechanism just as he’d done with the previous two doors. He was one step from it when Vari gasped, grabbed onto his arm and tried to pull him back. He stopped and looked over his shoulder at her in mild confusion.

  She pointed and he looked up, frowning at the small device hanging above the door. She tugged his arm again and this time he took a step back. Vari pulled the last long section of hanger from her waistband with a shaky hand, then tossed it at the door. It vanished in a blue flash.

  Declan stared at the spot where the flash had vaporized the plastic and took a long, deep breath. That had been close. He turned toward Vari, startled to see that she was white as a sheet, panting harshly, her entire body trembling so hard she looked in danger of falling.

  He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gently pulled her close. When she rested her forehead against his chest he relaxed a little, relieved that she didn’t pull away. After a couple of minutes her shaking subsided and her breathing returned to normal.

  More than anything he wanted to ask her what was wrong. He knew it was partly because he’d nearly vaporized himself, but he sensed there was more to it than that. Unfortunately, once the mission cam was started, regulations forbade him from turning it off until the mission was complete, and he returned to the Bihotza.

  She raised her head and moved back. “I'm sorry," she whispered, but he stopped her with quick shake of his head.

  "You saved my life Vari. Please don't say you're sorry for it. When we get back to the Bihotza, maybe we can discuss it.” Then he pointed at the cam on his shoulder to remind her. Her eyes widened, then she nodded and gave him a reluctant smile.