by Regine Abel
A bright light flashed before me, and then, as if seeing it through the filtering lens of a dream, a series of short scenes played in my mind’s eye.
A Korlethean ship is rocked by a major explosion. The image fades to be replaced by Xevius getting stabbed in the heart by another Korlethean agent under the watchful eye of the Quorum. As he falls to the ground, his life’s blood pouring onto the dark floors of the Assembly, the image shifts to a Veredian hand strangling a paralyzed Omniate Theanna who’s emitting choking sounds of agony. A few more scenes flash before me, ending with a military-grade Korlethean fleet approaching Xelix Prime.
My eyes snapped open, and I stared at the backyard, unseeing, horrified by my glimpse into the future. Unlike Oracles, the visions of a Seer were inevitable.
In eight days, Xevius would die.
CHAPTER 8
Xevius
Walking up the stairs of the Xelixian Council Hall felt almost like entering Korlethea’s Assembly. Both circular in shape, they held the same solemn sense that official buildings often gave off which made people walk straighter, act more formal, and speak in hushed tones. But unlike us, Korletheans, who reveled in flourishing details and ornaments on our ancient buildings, the Council Hall was all sleek white walls, and a clever mix or soft and hard edges.
I entered the large hall and discretely assessed the security of the premises. A number of Councilors and constituents milled about, having quiet conversations, while others hastened by on their way to some important business. I located the five security guards scattered around the main entrance, casually nodding at the one who made eye contact with me. He returned the nod, keeping a neutral expression on his face.
I smiled inwardly, being well-versed in the art of non-committal appraisal of a potential threat. Dressed in my operative outfit made of a black drasian—a leather-like reinforced fabric—I stood out even more with my brown skin, pointy ears, and long, golden hair. Usually, I tried to blend into my environment, but today, I was on official business and wanted to make a statement. Although they didn’t stop me for a search, I didn’t miss the conveniently high number of guards that happened to converge in my general direction before continuing on as I padded down the corridor on my way to President Frebhin’s office.
The Councilors offices were located in a circular hallway that wrapped around the Council Chamber. The large corridor, in shades of white and greys, offered a series of sitting areas for the constituents, a number of which were taking advantage of said commodities. In between offices, a handful of alcoves with plants and waterworks provided a peaceful place to relax or work.
The President’s office was located directly across the secured back entrance into the Council Chamber reserved for him and a security detail. Two guards closed in on me as soon as my destination became clear.
“Please state your business,” a broad-shouldered Xelixian in his dark-grey guard uniform asked.
His partner, standing a few steps to the side, casually placed a hand on his hip, in close range of a mean-looking blaster. I suppressed a smile and casually raised a hand towards the pocket hidden in the pleating of my chest armor and retrieved my holocard ID.
“Xevius Thanis, Korlethean Imperial Agent,” I said, holding it up for him to scan. “I have an appointment with the President to discuss the impending arrival of the Korlethean delegation.”
After checking my ID, they gave me another once over, clearly itching to pat me down. But in the absence of any visible weapons on me, and considering the peaceful relationship between our people, they stepped out of my way.
Once more repressing the urge to smirk, I walked up to the door and knocked. A feminine voice immediately bid me enter. I opened the door and stepped into the office, surrounded by the suspicious wariness of the guards and feeling the weight of their heavy stares. Closing the door significantly dampened their emotions, which faded the farther I advanced into the room.
A pretty Xelixian female in her mid-forties rose from behind her desk to greet me. Judging by the short, sleeveless, white dress she wore, she clearly was a Prime—a Xelixian born free of the Taint. I was struck by the unusual length of her hair which fell to the small of her back while Xelixian females normally kept them on the shorter side, to their shoulders or, at most, to the middle of their backs. Despite her typical light-grey skin and ridged ears, the delicate bumps of the crihnin on her forehead made me wonder if she was a Terran-Xelixian hybrid. Her great height pretty much nullified her chances of being born of an Avean mother who tended to have offspring on the shorter side.
“Sehr Thanis,” she said with a soft, throaty voice, rather pleasant to the ears. “We were waiting for you. I am Chana Bremhin, President Frebhin’s assistant. Unfortunately, the President is detained on an important call with the Galactic Council. He asked me to offer you his most sincere apologies and to provide you with all the necessary information for you to ensure the safety of the Korlethean delegation upon their arrival. If you would follow me.”
Lies!
All my warning bells went off at once. The female oozed with deception. My Empath senses confirmed her words had been true about the President being detained on a call. I didn’t believe it had been accidental, but that she had deliberately orchestrated it that way so she would have me to herself. While her demeanor qualified as warm and welcoming, her feelings towards me spoke of distrust and contempt.
She wishes me ill.
I couldn’t quite figure out the cause of her antagonism towards me, considering the peaceful relationship between our peoples. Then again, by isolating ourselves, the warm bonds of friendship Korletheans once enjoyed with many of the allied species had significantly cooled over the years. Remaining alert, I followed her to an adjacent, soundproof boardroom located in front of the sitting area at the left of Seha Bremhin’s desk.
She held the door for me as I walked into the large room, most of the space eaten up by an imposing table which could seat up to twenty people. Large windows overlooked a beautiful, landscaped garden with a single ryspak tree in the middle as centerpiece. The white walls lay mostly bare aside from the holographic frame of the articles of the Xelixian Charter of Rights at the left of a pair of giant vidscreens, and one of Xelix Prime’s certificates of membership with the Galactic Alliance.
Frebhin’s assistant gestured for me to take a seat in one of the black chairs surrounding a shiny, white table with dark grey edges. I settled in one of the chairs on the left side of the room with the frame of the Charter at my back, the door to my right and the window in front of me. She sat across the table from me with an obsequious smile that didn’t reach her cold, dark-green eyes. A wave of contempt hit me as she placed a data key and a holocard on the table in front of her then pushed them my way, making them slide across the slick surface.
Surprised—although I didn’t let it show—I caught them and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her.
“All the information you need regarding the accommodations and transports for the delegation are on that key. The holocard contains further instructions and will grant you access to the building. Your biometrics have already been encoded to their suites,” she said in a cold, hard voice, devoid of the previously well-rehearsed warmth of her initial greeting. “Study them on your own time back at the safe house, Tem Thanis.”
Although my agent training allowed me to easily hide my surprise, the deliberate way in which she used the Korlethean greeting for males instead of the Xelixian word Sehr was clearly meant as a hint.
No fucking way…!
Sending a wave of psionic energy, I brushed her mind and immediately felt her shield go up. Although my touch had not been harmful or threatening in any way, Chana Bremhin instantly retaliated with a psionic strike. It hadn’t been powerful enough to kill, but sufficient to bruise, give a nasty headache, and even cause a nosebleed to an unprepared target. It bounced off ineffectively against my shield. I couldn’t tell if she had held back or if this was the full extent of her strength
. My gut leaned towards the latter. While grazing her psionic mind, I hadn’t felt much latent power.
“Do that again,” I said in a chilling voice, “and I’ll tear your mind to shreds.”
She snorted with disdain, but beneath her brave front lurked an underlying surge of fear.
“Good luck explaining murdering the assistant of Xelix Prime’s President to the guards already quite suspicious of you,” she said in a bored voice.
“I don’t need luck,” I said in a neutral tone. “They’ll thank me for revealing a Korlethean spy infiltrated at the highest rank.”
Chana narrowed her eyes at me, her waves of fear going up a notch. Yet, she kept a superior expression as she lifted her chin in defiance.
“And betray the Quorum?” she challenged.
Leaning back against my chair, I crossed my legs and gave her a disdainful once over. “The Quorum didn’t appoint you. I bet only one of the Omniates knows of your existence. And I bet his name is Daleus.”
I’d taken a wild guess, but the emotional spike that emanated from her seemed to indicate I’d aimed true. Despite that, her impressive control of her face and body language deserved some praise.
“You may bet all you like; I’m not here to entertain you with games. You were given specific orders. Why have the targets not been eliminated, yet?” Chana demanded.
“I do not answer to you,” I replied with the same neutral voice, belying my seething anger. “I will soon complete my investigation and share the outcome with the Quorum.”
“Investigation?” the assistant asked, outraged. “You were sent here to perform an assassination!”
“If there’s nothing else, Tama Bremhin, I will take my leave.”
“I am not done,” she said with a haughty tone. “Based on Councilor Lhor Kirnhan’s heated discussion with the President two days ago about a Korlethean supposedly trying to kill his children, it appears you’ve already mucked up the mission. At least, in spite of your failure, you managed not to leave any evidence that would compromise Korlethea. So, I will help you get the mission back on track.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, my fingers itching to strangle her slender neck. But I kept my peace, waiting to see where she was headed with this.
“First, two new targets have been added to your list,” Chana said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “You will eliminate the Veredian Ambassador Aleina Fein and the new Tuurean military leader Kamala Dartos.”
My heart skipped a beat upon hearing Kamala’s name. Had the Quorum finally discovered that she was my soulmate? Were they trying to force the hands of Fate by pushing me into open rebellion? They had to know I wouldn’t be able to kill my Sareema; no Korlethean could. Was this a test of my loyalty?
“Why? They have made no hostile move towards us,” I said, summoning all my willpower to hide my inner turmoil and the million questions bouncing around my mind.
“Preemptive strike,” Chana said with a dismissive shrug, clearly annoyed that I should question her so-called orders. “Once all the children have been put down, the Veredians will seek to retaliate. Cut off the heads, and their military will be crippled.”
Cold shivers ran down my spine, while horror and disillusion clawed at my chest. Had Korlethea grown so paranoid as to slaughter innocents to prevent them from demanding justice for the wrongs we would inflict upon them out of fear of a future we didn’t even know could come to pass?
It’s not Korlethea, though. It has to be Daleus.
But would even he grow so bold as to take such a radical move rife with so many consequences and potentially deadly fallouts for Korlethea?
He might do it to attempt to prevent a dire vision from coming to pass.
“What do you mean by ‘all’ the children?” I asked, hoping—needing—to be sure I’d read far more into it than she’d implied.
“There’s a hidden compartment in the cooling unit of the safe house. The holocard I gave you opens it as well. You will retrieve its contents,” Chana said slowly, as if explaining to a child, setting my teeth on edge. “The data key I gave you contains the coordinates to the three plants that prepare the vitamin-drinks served exclusively in the grade school canteens. You—”
“Don’t even finish that,” I snarled, my blood boiling with rage and my soul feeling crushed. What kind of monster did she believe me to be? What kind of monsters were we becoming if we would resort to this out of fear of an uncertain future?
“Relax,” she said with a dismissive wave of her delicate hand. “The toxin will only target Veredians and will be painless. All other children will be unharmed.”
“I’ve heard enough,” I said, my voice dangerously calm as I rose to my feet. “You, and that pathetic excuse of an Omniate that you serve have crossed the line. Whatever doubts I had that the Quorum knew nothing of your existence, you’ve just erased. Korletheans may wish to eradicate the Titans, they would never condone the genocide of the other Veredian children. I will leave now, but before I do, be advised that you have two days to put an end to all the propaganda you have playing on the air.”
“You’re insane. I have nothing to do—”
“DO NOT FUCKING LIE TO ME!” I shouted, slamming my fist on the table.
Chana’s blood draining from her face belied her apparent stoicism. Fear, hatred, and a burgeoning panic swirled all around her.
Resting my fists atop the table, I leaned towards her with a menacing expression. “It took me less than an hour to trace back the owner of the numbered company funding this propaganda. You have two days for all of it to get off the air, or I will have both of you exposed.”
“TRAITOR!” she shouted, losing her cool at last.
I sensed Chana’s intention as it formed in her mind, with my shield at max capacity, her psionic strike felt like nothing more than a flick. I didn’t strike back but instead caught the assistant’s psionic mind into a vise, her flimsy mental shield shattering in an instant. The expression on the woman’s face reflected the waves of terror that poured out of her, soon replaced by excruciating pain.
“Don’t fuck with an Imperial Agent, you foolish female; least of all a top ranking one,” I said with contempt, my gaze boring into hers. “You will cease the propaganda and all interference with the Veredians. If you have any survival instincts, you will hand in your resignation and be gone before the week’s end.”
Chana held her head with both hands, a groan of agony rising from her throat as blood began trickling from her nose and ears. As much as I wanted to kill the wretch, her death would expose Daleus’s treachery to the Xelixians who would likely retaliate against all of Korlethea—a risk I couldn’t take.
I released her psionic mind from my crushing hold. Chana collapsed on the table, her slender body trembling. While harming children constituted a major problem for me, I had no qualms killing females, especially snakes such as this one.
“Go clean yourself up. Make it fast and try not to smear the blood on your dress,” I said dispassionately as I shoved the data key and holocard in my hidden pocket.
The assistant got up on shaky feet, too glad to flee my presence, and made a beeline for the hygiene room connecting to the office’s reception. I exited the soundproof boardroom in her wake and waited patiently while she wiped the blood off her face. To my pleasant surprise, Chana came back out in less than two minutes later, looking as pretty and composed as she had upon my arrival.
“Don’t forget the mess you’ve made on the table. And see that you heed my warning; two days.”
Without waiting for her reply, I turned on my heels and headed for the door.
“The Omniate will have your head for this,” the assistant hissed, her voice full of venom.
I stopped in front of the door and looked at her over my shoulder. “No, Tama Bremhin, I will have his. And if you don’t tread carefully, I will have yours as well. You have two days.”
The same guards were standing outside the President’s office when I opened the door. Th
eir eyes locked on me then sought my hostess beyond my shoulders to make sure all was well.
“Thank you, Seha Bremhin,” I told the assistant with my most cordial smile. “I will let you know if I need anything else. Have a wonderful rest of the day.”
Embracing her persona in an award-winning performance, the Korlethean spy gave me a warm smile that almost seemed to reach her eyes. “You are most welcome, Sehr Thanis. Safe journey to you.”
I nodded and turned to leave under the relieved gaze of the guards. Unable to resist, I smirked and winked at the one who had asked me for my ID on my way in. Surprise, a sliver of outrage, and blossoming interest emanated from him. I groaned inwardly, realizing he was wondering if that had been a ‘come on’ from me. While a third of the Korlethean population was bisexual, that ratio rose to nearly seventy percent among Xelixians. The last thing I needed was a Xelixian elite guard looking too closely into me.
I averted my eyes and hastened away when his gaze roamed over me in an appreciative once over. The guard’s stare weighed heavily on me, almost like a physical touch. The thought of Kamala catching him drooling over her mate brought a smile to my face. I instinctively knew my woman would be jealously possessive. My smile broadened as I pictured her drop-kicking that poor, unsuspecting guard while wearing that insanely sexy celesium armor of hers before wrapping her armored braid around his neck and threatening to behead him if she ever caught him ogling what was hers again.
The stupid grin on my face vanished the instant I stepped out of the Council Hall. Standing on the stairs, wearing a traditional, yellow-patterned, Veredian dress, my mate was talking to a tall Xelixian male, her hand resting on his forearm in a fashion that screamed familiarity, if not intimacy. His formfitting, black uniform hid nothing of his bulkier, muscular body, and marked him as a Warrior of the First Division of the Xelixian Army. From what little I could see of his profile, he was Tainted, the black, veins of the disease spreading their tendrils over his light-grey skin. But their limited number indicated the male was still in the early stages of the Taint.