“It’s Soror Valide now. That is the only name you need to know. Now stay out of my way, or I will be the one who kills you. You can tell them I joined my real family if you wish.”
She stormed off and left Zoey on the ground. Zoey edged on tears, not wanting to accept this. She couldn’t. She picked herself up, lifted her skirt, and charged at Il’lyse.
“Soror!” Zoey said.
Il’lyse didn’t turn in time. Her hesitation allowed Zoey to tackle her from behind, or rather Zoey wrapped her arms tightly around her sister’s neck and upper chest.
“I really don’t understand you,” Il’lyse said.
Zoey said, “I don’t understand myself either, but I’m your sister now, whether you realize that or not. Be safe, OK?”
“You idiot.” Soror Valide broke free of Zoey’s hold, spun around, and kicked her in the stomach, sending Zoey flying back on the ground in pain. “There’s nothing safe about stealing a stiern-boat from my brothers and sisters, and that’s precisely what I mean to do. Until next time, whatever your name is.”
She was gone in seconds. Zoey had to catch her breath before she could even respond. “Zoey,” she said quietly. “It’s Zoi’ne.”
Where’s that phone? I need to call the police.
It took moments to find it. The alley was dark, and there was no telling who else might come to attack her. Her hands shook as Zoey sought the number that Tong-Chang told her to find, and her lungs quaked as the phone rang.
“Trullwick Police Department, Officer Fredur speaking,” said the voice on the other end. “How can I help you?”
“The Hulda’fi are here,” Zoey said. “Please help.”
* * *
Zoey limped into the main hall of the nightclub, Tong-Chang walking with her with one arm wrapped around her waist.
The Hulda’fi were being carted away by men and women in uniform. There was one officer, in particular, who looked all too familiar. Dasos was taking notes from a few witnesses. Meanwhile, their mom stood half of the hall’s width away with a look of pride in her smile and posture.
Her expression washed away when Bon’sinne turned and saw Zoey, whose dress was dirtied and damaged, and her body looking half as bruised as it felt.
“Zoi’ne,” Bon’sinne said as she closed in. “What happened?”
“A certain you-know-who was out back. She wasn’t too happy to see other Hulda’fi in the area, and even less happy to see me. I think I got a few hits in on her, though. I didn’t exactly keep count.”
“Who? Do you mean Soror Valide?” Her voice dropped to a whisper. She didn’t want too many ears to overhear that name, Zoey guessed.
“Yes, her. God, I’m sorry about the dress.”
“The dress can be mended, dear. I’m glad you’re alive. Why was that bitch even here? For that matter, why did any of these Hulda’fi pick tonight to come to Elysium IX? We always thought it was too risky for them to try it.”
Dasos drew closer to their little gathering. He gave Zoey one of the most concerned, bewildered expressions she had ever seen another person give her.
He said, “Do I need to ask what in the cold, infinite beyond happened to you?”
“Don’t you start,” said Zoey. “Since when were you a police officer anyway?”
“It’s my field credit for the academy program. I had to put half of it on hold when we left for the Marslou. I had only resumed my post when we got a call from a frightened young woman saying the Hulda’fi were here.”
Zoey raised a hand. “Less frightened; more beaten to a pulp and trying to hold it together. I came in contact with another of them, except she didn’t like the other rebels who had come here. We ended up throwing more punches and kicks than I can count before she left. Soror is one hell of a fighter.”
“Soror Valide? You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was. She used me for a punching bag, and then she took off, saying she had a boat to steal.”
Dasos pressed a pair of fingers over his ear where a piece from a radio was sitting. Faint sounds from it reached Zoey.
He then said, “Well, that corroborates with that. We sent a few patrols out to track any remaining Hulda’fi, and they found a stiern-boat taking off. It left a handful more rebels, all in worse shape than you, lying on the ground. In fact, they match the two we found in the alley.”
“That would be her,” Zoey said. “It sounds like she did us all a favor.”
“Perhaps, but there is protocol, and a ship will be hailing her to surrender or be shot down. Hey, are you sure you’re alright?”
In truth, the prospect of hearing about Il’lyse being shot down or detained made Zoey’s heart sink. If only there was more that she could have done for her sister without giving herself away, or the secret she decided to keep.
“I’m fine,” she said. “I was hoping for a rematch one day, even if I have to train half as well as Mom.”
Bon’sinne rolled her eyes, and Tong-Chang groaned at Zoey. Neither of them were going to let her fight Soror Valide again if they could help it, she thought. She wasn’t going to let them stop her.
Dasos, however, chuckled for a moment. He said, “I heard that you took down one of the rebels, Mom.”
“Did she?” Tong-Chang said.
“I heard them say they came here to party,” Bon’sinne said, “so I challenged them to a little dance. It’s not my fault one of them accepted, thinking she could lay a hand me. The same one tried one attack after another. Her form was horrible. I almost told her to stop for a while so I could teach her a proper technique.”
“This is why I was careful not to misbehave around your children, Bon’sinne.”
“Ho-ho!” said a woman coming close to them. “I should have come and said hello to you all sooner.”
“Good evening, Lady Fjorfolia,” said Dasos.
“To you as well, Cadet Thalassas, Captain, Highness Leezu, and all-of-our new favorite – Lady of Earth, Zoi’ne Thalassas. Word spreads quickly, you know.”
“I’m sorry, Lady Fjorfolia, but I am conducting an inquiry here.”
“Don’t let me stop you. In fact, I’m sure I can add to any answers you may need from these ladies.”
“I have one question remaining. Your Highness Leezu, and Lady Thalassas, you were both in the kitchen, I understand. Were you both responsible for the Hulda’fi we found tied to one of the tables in there?”
When Zoey had returned to the kitchen earlier, she saw that Tong-Chang had found a few devices with power cords, and was in the process of tying the rebel they had taken down to the corner leg of one table.
Tong-Chang said, “Yes, I tied him up. I always wanted to try something like it with my last boyfriend.”
“And now I’m done, thank you.” Das’ithrios took his exit from the group with considerable haste.
Lady Fjorfolia said, “Ho-ho, you do have a devious side, don’t you? No matter. Imagine my surprise when I heard your names earlier. I was expecting the head of the High House of Leezu to come this time. If I didn’t know better I would think the three of you came seeking favor of some kind.”
“If we’re being completely honest?” said Zoey. “We came here because of Tong-Chang here, and she agreed to come here because I need help. I don’t know how I will ever pay for my schooling, or support myself, since I grew up on another world.”
“Is that all?”
“Once we were actually here, though, I wasn’t sure what we were doing, or how we would do it. I hoped we wouldn’t come off as con artists, before long.”
“Ho-ho, my little Earthen Lady, that’s the biggest secret, isn’t it? Many of us are con artists as far as the law will allow. It’s a good thing we can agree to certain laws to keep ourselves from going absolutely mad, or no one would be able to afford working for us. Tell me, have you checked your account to see what you have?”
“What account?”
“Your identity is a new one. With every new identity in the system there is at least on
e account, government mandated. Even a special, recent case such as yours should have one by now.”
“Her account is brand new, though,” Bon’sinne said. “It wouldn’t have enough burras in it to buy a sandwich.”
“Wouldn’t it?” Lady Fjorfolia laughed. “I wouldn’t be so sure. Take a look when you get home, or tomorrow when the mail comes if you don’t yet see what I mean. Enjoy the rest of your evening now.”
Then she sauntered off, leaving Zoey confused and wondering if Il’lyse had taken a hammer to her skull while she wasn’t looking. Zoey spent the rest of the party sitting down and trying to recuperate. More people came along to say hello to her, and her mom and girlfriend socialized, but she was not in any condition to get up again until it was time to leave, as much as she wanted to dance with Tong-Chang.
Once the delegates started to leave, Tong-Chang led Zoey and her mom out through the front exit. Zoey spotted the Lady and Admiral Fjorfolia entering their own craft in the distance. A cloaked figure stepped out of it to guide them in. It was the same maroon cloak that Zoey saw before.
Soror Valide, wearing a party mask rather than the Hulda’fi one, looked her way. From this distance it was possible that Zoey simply imagined the other woman nodding at her. Then Soror Valide stepped into the stiern-boat, the door closing, and flew away with the Fjorfolias onboard.
[ 30]
Soror Valide kept the stiern-boat steady on the way home. Her entire encounter with that girl had left Soror Valide with more questions than answers, and so many of the answers she did have went against everything she knew to be true. At least the band of troublemakers among the Hulda’fi were being dealt with, their stiern-boat on autopilot until its eventual capture or destruction. That gave her small comfort.
Lady Tunderek said, “It’s a shame about those brothers and sisters of yours. Our numbers are great, and yet I know many of them are misfits who had not yet earned our full trust.”
“I was thinking as much,” Soror Valide said.
“Were you?”
“Among other things. How many brothers and sisters were able to see our home, but how many of us were allowed to see the way there? Now, thanks to an insider we have with the Trullwick Police, we will see what little they can remember.”
“Ho-ho, you make this sound so matter-of-fact and lifeless. Our methods are not without merit, you know.”
“I’m aware, Lady Tunderek. Until the Hoshi-Lacartan allies are ready for us, and all that we stand for, we must keep our home safe from invasion.”
“The safest home is the one undetected. It’s one of the oldest tricks learned in our days as hunters and gatherers. This truth continues to serve us well, don’t you think?”
“That girl was there.”
“What girl? Oh, yes. I understand that someone roughed her up a good deal.”
“We had a little chat.”
“Some chat,” the admiral said. “I’m quite liking Zoi’ne, though, so try not to kill her; not yet.”
Zoi’ne? So that was her name. For some inexplicable reason this brought relief to Soror Valide. Why would it, though? The girl could have used the name Il’lyse for all that Soror Valide cared. The whole thing was more vexing than she needed.
Once more, she gripped her hands tighter.
* * *
Zoey put the dress back on its hanger. It still needed to be cleaned and mended in places, but she couldn’t help that now. She was about to wash up and go to bed. Rest sounded too good where she stood.
Her mom, who was downstairs, said aloud, “Zoi’ne, could you come down here for a moment?”
“I’ll be right there,” Zoey said.
She crossed the length of the carpet in the second floor hallway until she came to the stairway. Already she could see Bon’sinne down in the living room, browsing through an assortment of sealed envelopes. As Zoey descended she saw some canister resting on the back of one of the white sofas, which was opened from the middle.
“What’s that?” Zoey asked.
“This,” said Bon’sinne, “is from our evening parcel system. I don’t know how you received mail on Earth, but here we have a service that delivers starting at dusk. Usually, any mail that we get will go to the community mailbox, assuming that it is delivered as a hardcopy rather than electronically. However, if there is either a package or priority message involved, then the Parcellary will consolidate what they already have going towards to same address that day and fit it neatly inside a container like this one to be dropped off inside the courier nook outside the front door.”
“That sounds complicated. On Earth, our postal service sets out in the morning, delivers by nightfall, and everything goes into the same mailbox unless it’s a larger parcel. On the other hand, most of the mail we receive are coupons and advertisements for various places of business.”
“We get those electronically. Ever since we left Elysium Prime, there’s been a heavy fine in place to deter companies from stuffing our mailboxes with so much paper and ink. Everything else you say Earth does is little different. Remind me to show you the courier nook some time, or how to work these canisters.”
“Right. So you needed me for something?”
“Yes, thank you for reminding me. You, young lady, are the reason we got one of these tonight. The Bank of Union Elysium has sent you something.”
“A letter for me? I thought hardly anyone knew I’m here.”
“They’ve had time since your new name was processed a week ago. This is one of the major banks that oversees an Aelf’s finances from the moment a birth has been recognized and properly celebrated. Your case is more special and complicated than that, as you know, but perhaps they processed your new identity and set you up with something. This one is heavier than I remember Dasos and Lyssa getting. Here.”
Bon’sinne handed Zoey an envelope. It was thick, stamped with a seal, and adorned with silver edges. Zoey took a moment to marvel at the seal, which depicted an archer standing over what looked to be trees, from what she could tell of a seal no larger than her thumbs pressed together.
She opened the envelope. Zoey nearly expected something strange or alien to her as she looked for the opening, but the letter was like so many on Earth. Inside of it was a document spanning five folded sheets of paper with one being stock. A message from the bank awaited her at the front of the stack of papers. It said:
Salutations, Zoi’ne Thalassas.
Enclosed is your new finance account with the Aelfen people of Elysiums V-IX. As per regulation with the Birth Rights Act of Allied Revolution One, we have added a supplementary amount of Aelfen Burras to your new life.
We have, furthermore, adjusted the amount according to the circumstances of Net Case No. 2250316-318, as detailed on page four, within. All tax codes have been waived accordingly for the duration of this period, and interest is secured until such a time as you see fit to part with our banking firm.
It went on in greater detail, but Zoey flipped over to the second page to find the first statement of her account. Her eyes widened at the numbers she saw as her focus darted up and down the page trying to find the right one. There was no way that the one at the bottom was right.
“Is something wrong?” Bon’sinne said. “I know we don’t give our children much to start with, but at least you have a few burras now to your name.”
Zoey had to force out her breath when she replied, “It’s over three hundred thousand.”
“What?”
Her mom took the papers and read them over. Zoey had seen her pay for a few things, such as ice cream from a place that listed its prices between twenty-five and fifty burras for a cup. The amount she saw here was phenomenal.
“I don’t know who did this,” Bon’sinne said, “or how, or why, but this is too much. Three hundred seventy thousand? That would cover two whole revolutions at the most expensive schools in the known galaxy, and that includes the best dorms and food available. The university here might last close to double that.”
>
Zoey sat down. She needed a moment.
“Holy crap, that’s so generous,” Zoey said. “How, though, or why? This whole thing seems crazy to me.”
“I admit that it does, but I’m reading through this to see what I can find out,” said Bon’sinne.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful. It’s not like I’m going to go out and blow it all on a lifetime supply of raspberry and caramel ice cream; tempting, though, as that may be. For one thing I want to know who-all I should thank for this opportunity I have.”
“That’s more than understandable. Well, here, it says that, due to your unusual circumstance, your account was made retroactive and placed in an experimental lottery system for misplaced victims in need of recompense. With interest that made up most of what we have here. Your entry and aid were approved by the Saludalta family. It also says here that you have until the thirtieth of Fiardemane to accept this money or else it goes back into the system.”
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