Eomix Galaxy Books: Illusion

by Christa Yelich-Koth

  “If I stay here, I can help stop those responsible for my family’s deaths. Except—I don’t know if I can do it alone. Trey asked a lot from me and I think I could help, but I’m really scared. What if I can’t do the things he needs? My abilities aren’t exactly stable.” Daith turned and caught Dru staring at her. “What?”

  “I don’t know this for sure—and I’ll probably have to review some of your results—but I think your emotions are tied directly to the physical toll on your body.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Think about it,” Dru said, propping himself up on his elbow. “The times you suffered physical pain, how did you feel?”

  Daith thought back. “Angry, I think. I mostly remember headaches.”

  Dru nodded. “And the nosebleeds?”

  “The same, I think—wait, no, that’s not true. The time I thought you were dead, I felt scared. Or with the bomb, there was a lot of pressure and I felt panicked.”

  “And the times you didn’t have pain? For example, when we worked with the telepathy datapads in the oceanic simulation or when you had to find me among the simulated crowd?”

  “I was calm. I wasn’t nervous about those tests because there wasn’t really anything at stake.”

  “Exactly.”

  Daith’s voice rose in excitement. “Do you think that’s the solution? Control my emotions and I won’t have physical pain?”

  “I don’t know if you won’t have any, but focusing your emotions seems like a logical path. Although, diverse states do seem to give your abilities different power.”

  “True. I did more damage when I was angry and worked faster when I was scared.” Daith returned her gaze toward the ceiling. “Do you think I should help Trey?”

  “I think…” he paused. “I think it needs to be your decision. Trey’s mission is noble, but also aggressive. Your life may be more difficult without Trey’s protection, but I know one thing for sure—you don’t have to do it alone. And if you want my help, I will be there with you.”

  Daith didn’t have to try to sense what Dru felt. His emotions flowed open and clear. He was connected to her, and in the same way, she was connected to him.

  “I want to try,” she said. “I think I could help if I knew you were with me.” Daith hung her hand over the side of the bed and found Dru’s. He squeezed gently, energy surging freely between them.

  The two of them drifted off to sleep, fingers interlaced.

  Chapter 38

  Daith awoke to a spicy aroma. She inhaled deeply and smiled. Opening her eyes, she saw Dru sitting cross-legged on the floor, eating from one hand, and staring at a datapad in the other.

  “Hey,” she said.

  Dru put down the datapad. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

  “No, but your food did. It smells delicious.”

  Dru broke off a piece of his meal, a warm pastry with a sticky top, and handed her the portion. The spicy smell intensified when she brought it to her mouth to taste. The dough melted in her mouth.

  It was delicious.

  Before she realized, she’d finished, but her stomach wasn’t satisfied. A loud growl confirmed her continued hunger.

  “Excuse me,” she said, a hand on her belly.

  Dru waved her words away. “You slept nearly twenty standard hours. I’m not surprised you’re hungry.” Dru licked his fingertips and motioned toward the communications panel. “Go ahead and order something. It’s pretty early in the morning. I have a few things to attend to so I won’t be back for a few standard hours. But when I return, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to finish the conversation we started last night.” He paused. “There are some things I want to tell you before we continue with our work.”

  “Sure.” Daith shivered.

  Concern crossed Dru’s face. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Just—nervous. It’s strange to have made a choice about where my life is headed. I feel like I’ve been blind and letting everyone else lead me, and now I’m making decisions, even though I still can’t see everything.”

  Dru slipped on his shoes and stood. “Trust me, Daith. No one can see everything. You may have a few more blind spots than most, but you’re doing what everyone does: listening to yourself and then making your own decisions based on what you do know and what your instincts tell you.” He paused at the door and smiled. “And remember, you’ve got me.”

  *

  Trey watched Dru leave his quarters. He flicked off the monitor in front of him with disgust. He had watched everything that had happened between Dru and Daith the previous night. He had seen their simulation room session, had seen the medical staff arrive, and had seen Dru bring Daith to his own quarters. He knew Daith had slept there with him.

  And had Trey received a call?

  Had the medical staff informed him of a problem with Daith?

  Had Dru taken the time to send Trey a report about her progress?

  No.

  No.

  NO!

  Readying his final plans for the next two days, Trey really wished things hadn’t progressed the way they had. His brother wouldn’t have the stomach to go through with Trey’s plan. Eventually Dru would tell Daith the truth and double-cross him. Even after everything Trey sacrificed.

  Dru thought he was so clever, that he had everything figured out.

  He had a surprise coming.

  Trey sat behind his desk, his face a mask of composure. He picked up a datapad and pretended to read, holding the prop completely still—an actor waiting for his cue to begin.

  And what a show it would be.

  Chapter 39

  The Horizon pulsed with tension. Crew members trotted through the corridors, their attention focused solely on their destinations.

  Trey has definitely put together a hard-working team, Dru thought as he made his way from his quarters to his brother’s office. Dru opened his empathic abilities to his surroundings. Everyone felt edgy, but confident. He’d found accessing his empathic skills easier since he’d met Daith. Being around her made him feel comfortable—willing to open up again. And he couldn’t wait to see her again, to tell the truth and be fully open.

  He just had to convince Trey the truth was best for everyone.

  Dru flipped around the datapad with his final report on Daith. He felt proud of her for wanting to help his brother, but also uneasy. He wished Trey had told him more about his plan for Daith so he could have narrowed his tests. But he also understood why his brother hadn’t told him. If Dru had decided not to work with the Aleet Army, he shouldn’t have had knowledge of their plans.

  And can I blame him? He went through more than I did during the war. He sacrificed so much....

  Dru paused in the middle of the thought. Trey had done so much: he’d taken over the house when their mother had been killed; he’d fought in the war when he was sixteen, he had worked to pay for Dru’s schooling, and he’d joined up with a group to help fight injustice on other planets.

  Dru rang the door chimes.

  Trey is a hero.

  “Ah, Dru,” Trey said once the doors opened. “You have the report for me?”

  Dru handed Trey the datapad and took a seat.

  Trey ran through the report. “She has progressed and can work with inorganic materials. Good. And this note about a connection between her emotions and her abilities—interesting.”

  “Yes. There is less of a physical toll on her body if she is calm and in control of her emotions. Anger causes headaches while fear and panic induce nosebleeds and earbleeds.”

  “But her emotions also affect her abilities in a positive way?” Trey asked.

  “When she’s angry, her abilities are more powerful, like she uses her anger as a channel for her energy output. When she’s afraid or under pressure, she is quicker and more precise. I think if I worked with her more, we could use her emotions to focus her energy.”

  “Sounds like a long-term project.”

  “It would probably take mont
hs, maybe even years to develop that kind of control.”

  Trey raised his eyebrows. “Does that mean you’ve opted to stay?”

  Dru exhaled slowly. “Yes.”

  Trey’s eyes brightened. “Which means Daith has, too. Excellent. Things are progressing smoother than I could’ve hoped.”

  Dru cleared his throat. He wanted to talk about the lying, but he thought he should ease his way into it. “Speaking of progress, I’m wondering exactly what the plan is. If I’m going to guide her, I’ll need to know what you need her to do.”

  “Of course. I know you need answers, but I hoped you could fill in some blanks for me first.”

  “What do you have questions about?”

  “Daith, of course.”

  “What do you want to know? Everything is in my report.”

  Trey’s smile turned mischievous. “Not everything.”

  “Like what?”

  “I need to know more about the two of you.”

  Dru’s cheeks warmed. “The two of us? What do you mean?”

  “Relax, brother. I’m not asking for intimate details. I know you two slept together last night, but I’m much more interested in—”

  Dru sat up so quickly he teetered on his chair. “Wait, what?”

  “She slept in your quarters last night,” Trey said nonchalantly.

  “How did you know?”

  “The ship’s computer told me.”

  “Why would you ask—?”

  Trey tilted his head. “Did you think after Doctor Ludd’s betrayal I would let her out of my sight? She’s my responsibility, you know. What if something had happened to her during the night? The ship’s computer sends me a report every two standard hours on her whereabouts and vitals. After your problems yesterday in the simulation room, which no one bothered to mention to me,” Trey’s jaw twitched, “the computer told me she was in your quarters.”

  Dru felt unsettled, but once again his brother had a point. Dru had never thought about checking up on her when she slept or during her time away from her sessions. What kind of doctor was he to not know her status while she worked on such dangerous abilities?

  Trey continued, tapping his fingers on the desk. “But never mind that. Like I said, I’m not interested in your personal life. I’m curious what your relationship is with her, professionally. Do you think she depends on you? Would she feel better if you were present during a crisis situation? We will be up against some major obstacles and I want to make sure if she isn’t prepared, she can count on your support.”

  “I think,” he said, “Daith has come to trust me. If a difficult situation arose, I believe she would rely on me to help her through it. Truth is, I don’t know if she could handle it on her own right now.”

  “Wonderful.” Trey’s breath quickened. He grabbed a datapad and started filtering through files. “If she’s dependent on you, this will make things all the sweeter.”

  Something felt wrong. Dru noticed what lacked—he couldn’t sense his brother’s emotions.

  At all.

  There was nothing but a black hole of missing energy where his brother sat.

  Trey’s words came quick and clipped and he spoke as if he’d forgotten about Dru’s presence. “Yes, and if anger is the key, that’ll propel her all the more. Exarth will love the demonstration.”

  The words sank in slowly. “Trey, did you just say Exarth?”

  Trey snapped his head up, his face a rigid mask.

  Dru pointed his finger toward his brother. “What demonstration? And you have Exarth involved in this? She’s a monster!”

  “Perhaps. But she has the power I need.”

  Dru stood, incensed. “You can’t be working with Exarth. She’ll betray you. She’ll kill you!”

  “Exarth is a player in the game. She’s necessary, but not important. I have the situation under control.” Trey scoffed. “I knew you wouldn’t understand.”

  Dru gripped the back of his chair. “This is madness. What have you gotten yourself into? What have you gotten Daith into?” Dru let go of the chair. “Daith. She needs to know the truth. She needs to know—”

  Dru heard a crackly hiss. Knocked off his feet, his body flew across the room. Slamming into the door, he slid to the floor before he even realized what had happened. He glanced down. A huge scorch mark surrounded a gaping hole in his abdomen. Shock melted to searing pain.

  Trey spoke, eyes glowing.

  “After all I’ve done, this is how you repay me? We could’ve been great together, but you are weak, like Jacin. You don’t have the courage to make a vision come true, to sacrifice anything that needs to be sacrificed. Daith will help me, and because of your precious connection with her, your death will seal her fate with me….”

  Trey’s words faded. Dru’s breath slowed. The pain faded, too. Trey’s face grew hazy. Dru felt like he was sinking into a strange dream.

  A smile spread across his lips. He imagined laughing with Daith and

  —he sucked in a breath—

  squeezing her hand.

  —the breath didn’t leave his lungs—

  Softness in the air

  —the light bled away—

  and he felt happy.

  This is my second chance.

  Blackness, darker than any sleep, enveloped him.

  Chapter 40

  His brother was dead.

  Just like that.

  A chill ran through Trey’s body.

  He’d actually killed his brother.

  Trey glanced at the electro-stun volt weapon in his shaking hand. “I don’t know why they made these things illegal. They’re really quite handy.” Returning to his desk, he placed the weapon in the holster lodged beneath the top drawer. He felt Dru’s lifeless gaze upon him.

  Trey glared at the corpse.

  “This is your fault, you know?” he said to the body. “We could have restored all we’d lost, all they’d taken away from us. You didn’t see what they did to our mother. You don’t know what they did to me....” Trey fought back the urge to vomit as the terrible memory came flooding back. “For that reason alone they all deserve to die. Since Jacin Jaxx didn’t have the strength to follow through, then it is up to someone who does.” Trey pressed the communications panel on the wall and called two cadets to his office.

  “Remove this body,” he told the cadets. “Incinerate the remains in the engines. Tell no one or you will suffer the same fate. Clear?”

  The two cadets left the room with Dru’s remains. After they had gone, Trey turned the recirculation vent on high to clear some of the burnt-flesh fumes from the room. He thought about how to tell Daith about Dru’s death. She would never believe Dru had left without saying goodbye, and he couldn’t tell her someone else had killed him.

  Or could he?

  His door chimes rang. Dread filled him as he imagined Daith right outside his door. He hesitated, fanning the air around him toward the vent, before calling for whoever to enter. Relief flooded over him at Lieutenant Koye’s entrance.

  “Yes?” Trey questioned.

  “Commander, Kircla is waiting to speak to you.” Koye motioned to Trey’s vidlink on his desk. “No one else is aware of the connection.”

  “Thank you, Lieutenant. Please inform me when we have reached the Fracc system.”

  “Yes, Commander.”

  “And Lieutenant, detach Doctor Xiven’s ship from the spaceport. Set the craft for a course to, oh, anywhere, and send it on its way. My brother will not need it anymore. Dismissed.”

  There was a slight raise to Koye’s eyebrow, but he nodded curtly in agreement.

  Now alone, Trey gathered his thoughts. He had to secure this last detail—the witness who’d seen Daith’s abduction had to be eliminated. Taking a seat behind his desk, Trey opened up his vidlink communicator.

  “Kircla,” he said, tipping his head toward the viewscreen. “I see you received my communiqué. Do you have any interest in the job?”

  A two and a half meter t
all, sea-green skinned member of the Orcla species sat on the other end of the connection. Elaborately braided lengths of deep blue hair were pinned up in swirled patterns. Her expression captured detached impatience, and yet she still managed to emote authority. “I accept. Please transfer half the payment now. I will collect the other half when I have disposed of the witness.” She paused, calculating. “This will not take long.”

  “Very good.” Trey tapped the screen. “Your payment has been sent. I look forward to speaking with you again when this matter is settled.”

  Kircla bowed her head and the screen went blank.

  Trey sat back in his chair and felt the tension bleed from his tight shoulder muscles. Dru’s death had come sooner than he’d expected, but the timing with the witness’ death might be an advantage.

  If Trey could spin one last lie…

  *

  After Dru left, Daith ate breakfast and thought about her decision to help Trey. She still felt nervous, but knowing she wouldn’t have to deal with her abilities alone soothed her.

  She stored her dirty tray in the chute and walked through the connecting door into Dru’s office. She weaved through the piles of datapads on the floor, smiling while she thought of him, and opened the main door to head back to her own quarters.

  As the door slid open, she nearly bumped into someone standing right outside.

  A sharp pain stabbed inside her head.

  Daith screamed.

  She collapsed to the floor, unaware of Cenjo’s presence. An image passed in front of her—a gaping hole in her abdomen, her skin curdled and black. The pain seared through her, like her insides were on fire.

  The image faded. Daith realized she’d fallen to the floor. Cenjo held her shivering body, covered in vomit.

  “Daith! Are you all right?”