The Battle for WondLa

by Tony DiTerlizzi

  “So what do I do?” Eva held out her finger. The truth-bird fluttered over to her and landed. It chirped as she stroked its head with her fingertip.

  “I cannot tell you. But I can recommend this: be with your family.” Antiquus floated toward the door of the hut. “During these confusing times, talking with our loved ones can sometimes make clear a path to our own truth.”

  CHAPTER 25: MESSAGES

  Well, we’re outta here,” Hailey said to Eva as she approached him and Huxley huddled behind the elders’ council hut. “I told you we should have just let the leaders sort this out.”

  “Should I remind you that Vanpa is also the leader for the entire human race?” Eva asked.

  “Well, I’ll go report to ‘our leader’ that I think it is best that we move on,” said Hailey. “I got the message loud and clear that we are not wanted here.”

  Eva let out a heavy sigh. “This did not turn out the way I had hoped.”

  “Nothing ever does.” Huxley patted Eva on the back. “But at least we tried.”

  Hailey flexed his hands into fists. “I wish we could just barge into that meeting and blast Loroc with SHOCdarts. That would short him out for good.”

  “As much as I agree with that action, that would not be a good idea, hero,” Huxley said. “Destroying Loroc in front of everyone would only reinforce the idea that humans are enemies of us all.”

  “But at least then we’d know he was no longer a problem,” Hailey said, and snorted.

  “Huxley, can’t you just go and talk to Queen Ojo?” asked Eva. “After all, you are one of her royal scouts.”

  He smiled down at Eva. “I love that you think so highly of ol’ Huxie, little bayrie. But the truth is, I’m just a surveyor. A mapmaker. Nothing more. I’m certainly no diplomat who can chat about planetary peace with the queenie.”

  “I think that’s it for ideas,” Hailey said. “I’m sure Vanpa is anxious to find out what happened here and figure out our next steps.”

  “We best saddle up and head out,” added Huxley. “Wanna walk us back, bayrie?”

  Rovender appeared from around the hut. “There you are, Eva. I’ve just received a message from Zin for you.”

  Eva smiled smugly at Hailey. “I knew he’d do it! What’s the message?”

  Rovender answered in a low whisper, “It has arrived via messenger, and a most intriguing messenger at that.” He looked around as if to see if anyone was watching them. “Nobody else in the village is to know, so let us keep this among ourselves.”

  Otto shuffled up from the woods behind the village and poked his head out of the brush.

  I take you. Little one.

  “Go on,” said Hailey. “Hux and I will get back to the ship. We won’t take off until we hear from you, okay?”

  “Okay,” Eva said.

  “A good idea.” Rovender nodded. “I would suggest departing immediately after.” He turned to go, and Eva followed.

  Hailey grabbed Eva by the wrist. “Be careful, all right?”

  She smiled. “You too.”

  “She’s in good hands.” Huxley grabbed the reins of the munt-runners. “Blue will take good care of her, right?”

  “Of course.” Rovender climbed up onto Otto’s head. He held his hand out to help Eva up. “Come. Our messenger is waiting.”

  “Who is this messenger?” Eva asked.

  “I will tell you on the way. Come on.” Rovender gestured for her to hurry.

  “Is Zin okay? Did he speak to Loroc?”

  Rovender let out a frustrated sigh. “Eva Nine, do you trust me?”

  “Of course, Rovee—”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Eva scuttled up onto Otto’s plated back and sat next to Rovender. On his six large legs, Otto slowly turned and traveled through the wooded area.

  “I’ll see you guys in a bit.” Eva looked back through the clearing to wave to her friends, but they were gone. “Rovee, where are we going?”

  “I’ve risked us being spotted by curious eyes as it is.” Rovender glanced over his shoulder. “Hopefully our friends departing the village will create enough of a diversion to allow us to slip away unnoticed.”

  They traveled deeper into the wood for some time without speaking. Eva thought out to Otto, Are we safe?

  Safe. I protect. You.

  And I will protect you. Eva patted the soft patches of moss that grew over Otto’s pebbly carapace.

  Rovender exhaled, and his shoulders slumped. “I think we are far enough away for me to speak freely at last.”

  “What on Orbona is going on?” Eva turned to him. “You were acting so weird back there.”

  “The Halcyonus are traumatized by all that has happened. They are a very peaceful race, so this blatant aggression against them has angered their leaders and many of our council elders as well,” explained Rovender.

  “Rovee, the only reason we came here was to talk to you—not the elders. I like your father and all, he’s really wise, but you know more about the humans and everything that’s happened.”

  “I appreciate that.” Rovender’s voice rose in frustration. “But you have to remember, the Halcyonus believe that the hu-mans became aware of Lacus only from me bringing you there. Hostia and her family feel responsible and ashamed for what has happened.”

  “That’s ridiculous!”

  “Shhh. Keep quiet,” whispered Rovender. “You are upset, as am I. But together we can sort this out.”

  “You just need to be the leader of your tribe that I know you can be,” Eva said. “You are also wise. You are experienced. You see the bigger picture.”

  Rovender gazed at her with indigo eyes. “I worry that you see a harmonious ending to this that no one else is capable of envisioning.”

  Eva contemplated his words. “I think that Cadmus and Ojo wanted the same thing: to watch over and take care of their people, but as if their subjects were children. I don’t think that a ruler . . . a leader . . . should ever do that. Loroc would eat his subjects and anyone who tries to stop him.”

  Rovender took a deep breath. “Despite who you are about to meet, I believe Queen Ojo may have come to her senses.”

  “What do you mean? Who is this mysterious messenger?”

  “A Dorcean.”

  Eva’s eyes went wide. “A . . . Dorcean! Here? Why are you taking me to him?”

  Rovender put a reassuring hand on Eva’s shoulder. “Remember what I said about actions versus words.”

  Eva shrugged his hand off. “I remember what actions Besteel did.”

  “Well, like all hu-mans, not all Dorceans are evil. Think of Loroc and Zin.”

  Eva crossed her arms. “Even when we were looking for Zin, there was a Dorcean hunting for me. Rovee, you know I don’t trust them.”

  “Dat would have been me, Eva Nine,” a gravelly voice said.

  No! No! No! Otto growled.

  In the clearing ahead was a parked Dorcean glider. Leaning against it was Besteel’s brother, Redimus, polishing the muzzle of his boomrod.

  “Otto, halt!” Eva climbed and stood on his armored back. “Don’t go a step farther!”

  Otto did as he was told. However, Eva could feel him fighting the urge to pounce on the Dorcean and rip him apart with his claws.

  “Rovee! How could you?” Eva spoke through clenched teeth.

  “Calm down.” Rovender spoke softly. “It is not what you think.”

  “It’s not what you think!” She pointed at Redimus. “This guy is after Zin. He works for Loroc!”

  Redimus shrugged and continued polishing his weapon. “And who told you dat? De truztworthy Caruncle?” He laughed to himself. He sounded just like Besteel.

  “So now you’re after me?” Eva considered calling an army of wandering trees to trample Redimus. But for the moment she felt safe enough with Rovender and Otto at her side.

  “I waz looking for Zin.” Redimus holstered the boomrod and placed it on the wing of the glider. “But I waz not searching for hi
m under orderz of any Arzian, including de mighty Loroc. And eet iz alzo true dat I am now here looking for you, Eva Nine.”

  “So you can kill me and finish the job that your brother couldn’t?” spat Eva.

  Otto grumbled in agreement.

  Redimus picked at something caught in his pointed teeth. “Wrong again.”

  “Eva, you need to know the truth,” said Rovender. “Dorceans are honorable. They do not believe in vengeance for another’s actions.”

  Eva put her hands on her hips. “Your father just got through telling me there are no ‘real truths.’ ”

  Redimus chuckled. “Cærulean nonzense.” He leaned against the glider. “My brozeel iz dead. He waz as recklazz as he was stubborn. I am none of deez things. But I have made my share of miztakes, which I carry wiz me every day.” Redimus turned his head toward Eva. In the daylight she could see deep scars raked across the side of his face. A mechanized eye patch with a bright light set in it covered one eye. “I saw you and de boy pilot de night I encountered Caruncle. I tried to zeek an audience wiz you then, to inform you of hiz eel-begotten allianze wiz Loroc, but he waz onto me.”

  “Did you figure out where Zin went?” asked Eva.

  “Az you know, I did not need to. He returned to tend to heez ‘family matterz’ in Zolas,” Redimus said. “Which bringz us to why I am here.”

  Eva remained on top of Otto. She tensed, worried about Zin.

  “Zince we are speaking of truz. I have two truz for you.” Redimus held up a pair of sickle-shaped talons. “One, your stolen warzhip has not gone unnoticed; you were tracked leaving New Attica. Loroc’s forcez will find you here. When dey do, eet will not end well for you or your friendz.”

  Eva’s pulse quickened. “A warbot did identify me back in New Attica.”

  “Which brings me to my zecond truz: Queen Ojo would like to speak wiz you before de Victory Feez. Loroc does not know that I am to ezcort you to zee Her Majesty first.”

  “Why?”

  Redimus smirked. “You are afraid. I can hear your zingle heart raze. My brozeel would be flattered dat you steel fear Dorceanz—but I am not. I am, however, honor-bound to deliver you zafe to Her Majesty. What she wishez to zee you for I am not privy to, but she commanded me to give you dis.”

  Redimus reached into his satchel. He unwrapped a small familiar object and placed it on the glider’s wing.

  “A beamguide?” Eva remembered using one of the holographic maps before. “Zin already gave me one of those.”

  “Though it was confiscated,” Rovender muttered.

  “Dis one is zpecial.” Redimus pointed to the small cube. “Very zpecial. I zuspect Zin has created eet just for you, Eva Nine.”

  Why would I need another beamguide? Eva thought. She looked to Rovender. “Well?”

  “This is an intriguing turn of events.” Rovender scratched his whiskers. “I think it best that you go, Eva.”

  “Will you come with me?” she asked.

  “I can attend the meeting of the leaders as my father’s aide. We can rendezvous after.”

  Eva picked at her fingernails. “The last time I met with Ojo, she wanted me stuffed and mounted for her museum.”

  Rovender asked, “When you and Zin parted ways, how was it left?”

  “He was going to speak with Ojo, then his brother.” Eva studied Redimus. He was grooming his hairy hide, and giving the impression that he was not listening to the conversation. The beamguide remained on the wing of the glider.

  “Well, you know he’s spoken with the queen,” replied Rovender. “Otherwise Redimus would not be here.”

  “But is it all just one elaborate trap?” Eva asked. “If Loroc wants me dead and can’t find me, then all he needs to do is lure me to him. It’s just like the floatazoans grounding the turnfins—”

  “For a hungry sand-sniper,” Rovender finished her sentence. “But if Loroc knew your whereabouts, he would not just send a single Dorcean. Faunas would now look like Lacus after he hunted Arius down.”

  “Why does this have to be so confusing?” Eva sighed, sat down, and closed her eyes. She let her mind receive the frequency of the entire forest. Life seemed to move in its natural ebb and flow. There were no foreign machines here marching about searching for her.

  A cool breeze brushed Eva’s face, and she heard the mournful call of an air-whale far in the distance. She thought about the air-whale skeleton she and Rovender had explored, its bones like bleached branches of a great fallen tree. She thought of the wandering trees, the weeping bird-catchers, and the giant sundews digging their roots down into the earth and staking their claim in the forest. She thought of the hairy horned beast dying in the sticky clutches of the sundew and the hungry cubs it had left behind. She thought of the moss used to heal Hailey’s wound just as it had Rovender’s.

  And that reminded her of so long ago—the moss that carpeted the forest floor during her holographic exercises back at her Sanctuary. The snakebite that would have killed her had it all been real. How does such an insignificant thing survive in a big world? What is its purpose? she had wondered. What is my purpose? To find WondLa?

  That deep resonant hum entered Eva’s mind again. It filled her senses and vibrated her to the core. In doing so it overpowered all other frequencies from the forest. Eva opened her dilated green eyes and focused them on Redimus.

  He pointed to her with a sharpened claw. “I can zense power emanating from you. I have not zensed anything like dis from another before.”

  “She is, indeed, unlike any that you have ever met before,” said Rovender.

  “Then perhaps I understand how my brozeel failed. I am glad you are not my adverzary for the time being.”

  Eva let out the tiniest exhale of relief.

  “I admit I did not underztand why I was zent on dis errand to fetch a young human girl. Now I zee why de queen would zeek you out,” said Redimus.

  Eva rose to her feet. “So let’s go hear what she has to say.”

  CHAPTER 26: HOME

  They dropped off Rovender so that he could prepare for the trip. It was late afternoon by the time Otto returned Eva to Hailey’s warship. She found him with Huxley, sitting around a small campfire outside at the foot of the loading ramp. Van Turner was handing out Sustibars to a gathering of refugees while Huxley prepared a kettle of seabrine tea over the fire. Eva relayed the plans concerning Queen Ojo.

  “You know what this tea needs?” Huxley stirred the steaming pot. “A dash of pinquat powder. When this Dorcean sneaks you into the palace, perhaps you can borrow some for me? It’s a red spice . . . though sometimes it is yellow . . . but I haven’t seen the yellow pinquat powder in a long time. You know what? Just ask the queenie.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” said Eva with a smile.

  “Well, that’s the last of the bars for today.” Van Turner joined the group.

  “How are we looking?” Hailey asked.

  “We’ve got plenty of food for a few more weeks, but after that it’s gonna get . . . interesting.”

  “We’ll teach ’em how to live off the land.” Huxley wrapped a rag around the pot’s handle and poured four cups of tea.

  Eva turned to Van Turner. “We need to figure out what to do with these survivors from New Attica. According to Redimus, Loroc is looking for them.”

  “The humans?” Van Turner asked.

  “Or the ship?” asked Hailey.

  “Well, he did say that they knew that the ship had been stolen,” said Eva.

  “So he may not know of the survivors,” said Van Turner.

  “He will soon, though, if that Halcyonus leader has anything to do with it,” grumbled Hailey.

  “So if he’s looking for the ship, let’s give him what he wants,” said Eva.

  “What do you mean?” Hailey sniffed his tea, then took a tentative sip.

  “Hold on before you drink it,” said Huxley. He set down the kettle. “I have to add the sweet stuff or else it’s completely toxic.” He winke
d at Eva.

  She rolled her eyes at his joke.

  Huxley unwrapped a small gooey brown bar. With Hailey’s pocket laser-cutter he lobbed off several small pieces. “There. Put a lump of that into each of your cups and give it a moment to melt.”

  Eva continued. “If Loroc is looking for a stolen warship, then let’s let him find it. Then you can lead him on a wild goose chase.”

  Hailey stirred the sticky glob at the bottom of his cup. “That sounds risky.”

  “But it could draw Loroc’s attention away from the queen,” said Eva.

  “Ah, so he’ll think Eva is on that ship trying to stir up trouble.” Huxley took a sip.

  “What about the survivors?” Van Turner stirred his tea with his finger.

  “The ship would be empty—it would be just Hailey piloting,” said Eva.

  “And his navigator!” Huxley said with a grin.

  “And your navigator,” Eva repeated with a smile. “We’ll find a place to hide the survivors so they are safe for the time being. Vanpa will continue to look over them.”

  “The entire fleet will probably be at Solas,” said Hailey. “We won’t last five nanos against their firepower.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Huxley burped. “I can’t imagine ol’ Loroc would order an ‘open fire’ while there is an assembly of every leader in Orbona. Not only would it be dangerous, but it would not look good for him or queenie in reassuring everyone that the battle is over and everyone is at peace.”

  “Besides, if anyone can outmaneuver a robot-piloted fleet, it’s you,” Eva said.

  “Especially if your ship is empty.” Van Turner sat back, pondering it all. “It is dangerous, Eva. And it is the only ship we’ve got. Hailey, could it be done remotely?”

  “Without me on it?” Hailey said. “Maybe. But you know I’m better flying when I’m actually on board. With Huxley’s knowledge of the terrain, I think the two of us could handle them.” He finally took a sip of his tea.

  Hailey scowled as he swallowed, gagged as if poisoned, and then smiled and belched. Everybody laughed. He slurped down more tea. “So my job is to keep Loroc’s eyes on me while you meet with the queen and Zin. Then what?”