by Cindy Borgne
“Would you guys at least try to eat?” Kayla asked.
“My stomach is still bothering me.” I told the truth.
“What’s your excuse, Sonny?” Rachel asked.
“I’m nervous.” He pushed the plate away.
Kayla took it and set it on the sink.
Bret stood up. “Kayla, Rachel, finish packing up the supplies. Sonny, Ian, we have more procedures to go over.”
We followed him back to the cargo hold. He turned on the lights. I shut the door and broke out sweating. All I could hear was Clare telling me not to say anything.
“Why’d you shut the door?” Bret asked.
“I have to tell you why I was an elite.” I reminded myself to breathe and paced.
Sonny encouraged me with his eyes.
Bret stopped me by the arms. “Don’t be afraid to tell me. Whatever it is, you can trust me with it.”
The words spilled out of me. “I can foresee the future.”
“W-what?”
“I have visions when I’m asleep. They’re like dreams, except they’re much more vivid and they’re real.”
Bret turned to Sonny.
“It’s true,” Sonny said. “He didn’t find out you were in trouble from the Marc databanks. It was from his visions.”
Bret stared ahead with his big brown eyes growing wider by the second. I couldn’t tell if he believed me, so to make sure I blurted out, “I saw you smash the radio in the mine when Beacon was spewing his threats.”
“Whoa.” Bret stared at me, slack-jawed.
“There’s more . . . .”
“Go on.”
I didn’t want Bret to doubt me. “My loyalty is with Vallar, but before I came to the shop . . . .” I took a deep breath and held it. He’d hate me for sure, but I had to say it. “Beacon used me to spy and I spied on you. I saw you in the Phantom flying into the Noctis canyon. Then I discovered the mine.”
Bret cringed and his face turned ashen.“Through visions?”
“Yes.” I lowered my eyes and wanted to say sorry, but how does one say sorry for something like that? I waited for some sort of outburst.
I peeked up for a second. Bret weaved with his eyes half shut. I wanted him to yell or slap me – anything to get it over with.
“The battle was a terrible thing.” He blinked and took a deep breath. “We lost Layne.”
“I know.”
“Did you know his father is the one who took me in after I was rescued from the Marc prison?”
“No.” My throat tightened.
He stared off to one side, tightening his fists and trembling.
“I-I I’m sorry.” I couldn’t hold back the tears. They spilled over, and I choked out the words. “Please forgive me.”
“He didn’t know.” Sonny touched my shoulder. “He was doing his job.”
“I don’t blame you,” Bret blurted out. “It’s Beacon. I want to rip his throat out!” He punched the wall.
I backed up and bumped into the wall.
Sonny swallowed, took a cautious step next to Bret and patted him on the back. “Take it easy.”
“Sorry.” The anger faded from his eyes and he spoke softly. “Ian, it’s okay. Come here.”
I nodded and wiped my face.
He touched my shoulder. “It’s not all bad. If it wasn’t for you, the merger between the Genners and Deltas might have never happened, and there would be no Vallar.”
“But how could that be?” I asked.
“When we realized a Marc probe had found the mine, we asked the Deltas for help. The idea to merge came after the battle. The way we were going it was only a matter of time before the Marcs wiped us out, but with the formation of Vallar we have a chance to accomplish our goals.”
While Bret’s trust was hard to earn, it was also difficult to lose. His eyes were full of determination. He returned to how I’d always seen him - like some sort of pillar.
“I didn’t know the Marcs were developing psychics,” Bret said.
“Interesting,” Sonny said. “You say that like other organizations have tried.”
“They have, but no one’s ever been successful. At least not that I know of,” Bret said. “So this nightmare, it was a vision?”
“Yes.” I looked off to the side. “Alexis and Hannah are in danger.”
“Has this already happened?”
“I don’t think so. I feel they have to leave shortly after our escape attempt or else . . . .” I held back from grimacing and backed up anticipating another explosion from Bret.
“Relax, I’m under control now, and I get what you’re saying. Don’t be afraid to tell me anything. I know better than to throw a tantrum.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I trust you.”
“It must be difficult seeing such things,” Bret said. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“There’s more. The odds of our escape aren’t good.”
“Go on.”
“There’s an MC1000 out there, waiting and a dust storm comes up, which doesn’t help. Somehow, it managed to target you. I saw the Phantom go down.”
Bret shifted his eyes at Sonny. “And you thought my ship would be the safest place.” Sonny shrugged. “I’m only the medic.”
“I think it can be prevented if I stay at the cannon longer,” I said.
“One thing is for dang sure,” Bret said. “We have to take out that MC1000.”
“We need to make the cannon pits safer so we can stay at them as long as possible,” I said. “You need the backup to get out of here in one piece.”
“I already have some ideas. We’ll go over this in detail, but first . . . .” Bret took something out of his pocket and opened his palm, revealing two silver bars and a blue star. “Sonny, I’m making you a lieutenant and the blue star means you’re also our medic.”
“You’re making me an officer?” Sonny asked.
“Of course.” He handed him the pins. “Everyone at Vallar is either active duty or reserves.” He reached in his other pocket and pulled out two gold bars. “We don’t have elites, Ian, so I hope you’re content with being an ensign.” He pinned the bars to my collar.
“Are you sure I earned this?”
“Positive.”
I managed a smile. Having told Bret everything, I felt brave. “Can I have a few minutes to talk to Kayla? I have something to tell her.”
Bret looked up and nodded as if he had a new idea. “Be back here in about thirty minutes, so we can go over more details.”
****
I found Kayla cleaning up the galley. As she put away the dishes, I explained about discovering the mine and braced for her reaction, but all the while she had listened with little expression. Maybe it was too overwhelming. The whole time I continued to heat up. My face had to be bright red. She stayed silent for too long. Waiting for her reaction was driving me crazy. She put away the last cup and stared at the wall.
“I understand if you don’t want to speak to me anymore.” I walked out to give her time to think.
“Ian,” she called as I reached the door. “Come back.”
I turned around.
She touched my arm. “It’s not your fault. He used you.” She paused. “You should’ve told me before. It’s not good to be holding something like that in for so long.”
“Sorry.” I glanced down.
She smiled, knowingly. “So, that’s why you wanted me to paint your dreams. I would like to do that soon.”
“If we ever get a chance.” Like Layne, I didn’t want her to be near the Marcs. “I’ve been wondering all this time why you gave up being an assistant diplomat to be a navigator.”
“I had convinced myself that negotiations would never work with the Marcs – as long as Beacon is in power. But I’ve been rethinking that.”
“Why?”
“While I was stuck in that crevice thinking I was going to die – I was more proud of my efforts to bring peace.”
“Will you go back to diplomacy?�
��
“Maybe, but for now I’m one of the better navigators so Bret needs me.”
I nodded, but I didn’t like it.
“Have you seen Gentech Central in your visions?”
“No, I haven’t had the time to even try.”
“It’s a beautiful hidden city made from a group of craters, but on the surface it appears to be nothing but dirt. The entire place is pressurized and terra formed, so everyone has a home where they can walk on grass and even go swimming.”
“I’d like to see it in person.”
“I hope to invite you there.”
She stared into my eyes for several seconds. Blue specks shined in her light green eyes. “I saved your plate if you want to eat now?”
“Yes, thanks.” I sat down while she warmed it up.
When I was in school, the instructors drilled it into us to be loyal to the Marcs. I never felt it though. If Bret and Kayla were an example of Vallar, I would do anything for them. This is how Layne felt.
Chapter 23
A holographic image of the crater and surrounding area slowly rotated in the center of the galley table. I described the vessels and cannon posts from my vision while Kayla filled in the details using a dataviewer with a stylus. The whole time I wanted to tell Kayla about my visions of us together, but we were never alone long enough. Every time I tried to bring it up, it felt like hitting a cement wall.
Rachel huffed into the galley, wearing an envirosuit. She grabbed a container of food and started for the back.
Bret squeezed past her with a wrench in one hand and grease smudges on his t-shirt. “Sorry, dear.”
She grumbled at him. Bret and Sonny had taken up the front half of the cargo bay as they put together a missile launcher from various parts, which made it difficult for her to move the supplies.
As he looked over our work, I could sense his worries and admired how he never let it show. I wanted to be strong like him.
He pointed at the cannon post on the west side. “I see you have the missile launcher at your post.”
“That’s because the MC1000 will come within range of it,” I said. “Sonny or Kayla could take that post.”
“I was looking over your scores on the simulator. Seeing as you scored the highest, I decided to have you man the missile launcher.”
“Me?”
“I think you can handle it.”
“How’d you do so well?” Kayla asked.
“I had access to all kinds of simulators, but never the real thing.” My own words made me nervous. The device Bret and Sonny rigged could only launch one missile, which meant one chance to bring down the MC1000. “Are you sure you want me to do it?”
“Positive. Since you had the vision, it’ll give you the most advantage.”
A loud clank came from the rear.
“Bret!” Sonny’s voice bellowed through the ship. “I need a hand with this.”
“Carry on.” Bret went all the way to the back.
Kayla and I had a few seconds alone. Since she knew I was psychic, I wouldn’t have to explain that part. But the steep mountain of reasons against it started with her not knowing me that long and peaked with the fact she lost her fiancé recently. I hadn’t forgotten that my efforts to find Kayla had a lot to do with me discovering the mine, and her knowing that would only cause upset.
****
As sunset approached, I found Sonny alone in the infirmary packing up medical supplies. I wished he was safe back in his office.
When I stepped up to him, he turned and rested his hand on my shoulder. “During the battle, don’t worry about me. When things get hot, you get to the cave.”
“I have to . . . .” I paused. Sonny would argue with me if I told him I had to take down the MC1000 first. “I have to tell you something before we go out there.”
“Not more bad news, I hope.”
“No . . . .”
“Go ahead.”
“I think of you as a father, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I wish I wouldn’t have dragged you into all of this.”
“What?” he asked. “Would a father let his son go out here on his own? Absolutely not.”
I choked up and knew if I said something my voice would shake. Sonny smiled with glassy eyes, and we hugged each other.
“I’d like to see you one day having fun, like someone your age should,” Sonny said. “Rachel told me about Gentech Central. I hope we can go swimming there someday, even though I don’t know how to swim.” He chuckled.
“Good, I get to teach you something.”
“You already have in a way. Because of you, I found out I can be something other than a shop manager.”
He always had a way of making me feel better.
****
In the darkness, Bret flew the Phantom just above the crater, slowly circling the edge. Each of us would be in a different location near the wall with a cable, so we could scale down the side of the crater and head for the cave.
Bret landed the ship at the first cannon site on the north side of the crater. Sonny, Bret and I hauled the first cannon out of the back of the open cargo bay. The night vision on the visor gave a greenish tint to the area, and the zoom allowed me to see clearly to the edge of the other side.
While they set up the laser cannon, I took the grappling hook over to the edge of the crater wall and dug it into the side. Then I lowered the cable and made sure it was secure.
Sonny took his position behind the cannon. “You’ll see me again. Count on it.”
I forced a smile. Sonny had more intuition than he knew because that was exactly what I feared – never seeing him again.
“We are going to take them down.” Bret stared at us so hard we looked away. “I need you both to look at me the way I’m looking at you.”
We looked up, meeting his deadly hard eyes behind the visor.
“You have to mentally prepare.”
We all shook hands while giving each other a stare down. Sonny chuckled once, but dropped the smile an instant later.
****
It was Kayla’s turn. Bret flew the ship across the crater while Kayla and I waited in the cargo hold among the remaining weapons. I stared at the missile launcher. If only it had more than one missile.
“Are you okay?” Kayla asked.
“Yeah, but this is a lot of . . . .” I was going to say “pressure”, but I’d promised myself I’d be able to handle anything. “I’m going to have to be accurate.”
“You will,” she said. “And I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve been thinking about you a lot the last day.”
“You have?”
“You’re the strangest Marc I ever met.”
I chuckled nervously. “How’s that?”
“Even though you were brought up a Marc, you don’t think like one.”
“There’s more like me suppressed and working in the factories. I’m going to miss those guys.”
The Phantom bumped down for a landing. Bret marched out with no hesitation. I imitated his confident stride and helped with another cannon set up. When it was done, I lingered, not wanting to leave her out here.
“Be careful,” I said, still tempted to tell her about my visions of us together. Of course, over the helmet radio everyone would hear me. Instead, I awkwardly tried to hug her.
Kayla laughed. “You can’t hug in a suit, silly.” She took my gloved hand. “You be careful too.”
“I will.” I made myself let go and followed Bret back to the ship, turning around a few times. She waved as I stepped onto the ramp, looking out of place with a laser rifle in her hands. I wanted to see her eyes one last time, but I was too far away.
As the vessel left the ground, I looked out the porthole, but it was the same as looking into a black hole. I choked back a wave of anxiety as we crossed over the crater.
We landed on the west side. I followed Bret out the airlock and helped him carry a bunch of equipment. We set up the laser cannon and missile launcher between
some large boulders.
“Sonny?” Bret called. “Kayla? Can you hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” Kayla said.
“Loud and clear, boss,” Sonny said. “How about you, Ian?”
“I’m here.” I followed Bret to the edge of the crater.
He dug a grappling hook into the side and lowered the cable down. We walked back to the missile launcher, and Bret went over some last minute details. Then we covered it with the only laser proof tarp he had on board.
“That should not only protect it, but also hide it from scanners, so don’t take it off until you’re sure you’re going to use it.” He shook my hand.
“I’m honored you trust me with it. I only hope I don’t let you down.”
“I have a feeling in my gut this is the right decision, so I’m going with it.”
“I understand.”
“Good.” Bret walked back inside the ship. Before entering the airlock, he turned and saluted me. “I look forward to working with you after this is over, Ensign Connors.”
“Yes, sir, Captain.” I returned the salute.
The Phantom stirred up dust as it circled around the crater and ascended. I saluted as it flew off toward the line of hills several kilometers away. Because of the night vision, the trace of dust in the air looked like green sparkles. I waited for it to settle and took a good look at the vast crater before me.
Sonny was on the north side while Kayla was on the east side. Soon the Phantom looked as small as a green bat. I went behind my cannon and practiced aiming at distant rocks.
“So Kayla, what are we going to be doing after this is over?” Sonny asked. “Are there any job openings at Vallar?”
I couldn’t believe he was bringing this up now.
Kayla laughed. “Of course, we need people. What do you want to do?”
“You mean we have a choice?”
“Of course. If you could do anything, what would it be?”
“I’ve never had options, but since you’re giving me one, I’d like to be a therapist and work with the disabled. Is that even possible?”