He hesitated, looking as tense as she felt. “Are you going to tell me what happened down there?”
I wish I knew. She understood his concern, and appreciated the stress he was under after what he’d witnessed, but she wasn’t ready to talk about it. She was still too raw. “Not right now. But I promise not to pass out unexpectedly anytime soon.” She pushed the corners of her lips up into an approximation of a smile.
He relented, although concern remained etched on his features. “Okay. See you in an hour.” He and Kelly picked up two of the specimen bags and headed toward the door.
Celia grabbed a bag as well, but she paused briefly to slip an arm around Aurora’s shoulders and give her a reassuring hug before following Kire and Kelly.
Mya approached, nodding to Celia as they passed each other. Aurora almost expected them to slap palms like a tag team in a wrestling match. Apparently Mya was her official handler now.
Her friend began assessing her condition before she’d even reached her, although she’d slipped the medical scanner into her pocket the moment the doors closed behind Celia. The device was only for show. Everything Mya needed to know she could see without the aid of electronics.
“I’m fine.”
Mya didn’t pause in her assessment. “So you say.”
Mya wouldn’t find any sign of weakness, trauma, or abnormalities in her energy pathways, but she waited patiently for her to reach that conclusion on her own.
When she finally seemed satisfied that Aurora wasn’t about to keel over, she fixed her with a pointed stare. “What the hell happened down there, Sahzade?”
The trillion-dollar question. She needed Mya’s help to frame her reaction in a way that made sense. Her current state of mental and emotional free fall wouldn’t last forever, and she had no idea when she’d slam into the ground. She wanted to be prepared. “It’s complicated.”
Mya’s brow furrowed. “With you it often is. Was it tied to what’s happening on Gaia?”
She swallowed. “Let’s just say there’s more going on than meets the eye.”
Mya’s gaze was steady. “Tell me.”
“Let’s go to my office.”
They were both quiet as they entered the lift and ascended to the bridge. As they exited, Jonarel rose from the captain’s chair and covered the distance between them in a few long strides.
“Are you all right?” He gripped her shoulders as he scrutinized her from head to toe, confirming she was still in one piece.
“I’m fine.”
He exchanged a glance with Mya. Clearly neither of them believed her, and why should they? She’d collapsed while investigating a farm. That wasn’t exactly normal behavior, especially for her.
However, as much as she understood everyone’s concern, right now she needed to talk to Mya. Alone. She redirected the conversation. “Kire and Kelly are analyzing the images we took at the farm site. I need you to share your findings with them. Star can monitor the bridge for now.”
Jonarel’s eyebrows lifted. “Does Kelly know about Star?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. But now that she’s our navigator, we need to inform her. I’m leaving it to you to introduce them. I’ve called for a crew meeting in an hour so we can discuss our strategy. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”
He didn’t relax his grip. His eyes looked like liquid gold as he stared at her, tension accentuating the patterns of deep green and brown on his face. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
She smiled, though it took some effort. She placed her hand over his and squeezed. “I’m fine. I promise. I just need some time.”
The brackets around his mouth eased somewhat, and he nodded as he released her, though he still looked reluctant to let her out of his sight.
She continued to her office with Mya right behind her. As they stepped into the soothing confines of the small space, she glanced out the viewport, where Gaia hung just off the port side. An involuntary shudder made her tremble.
Mya’s hand settled on her shoulder. “Sahzade, talk to me.”
She drew strength from Mya’s reassuring presence and the understanding in her eyes. She gestured to the two plush chairs by the viewport before sinking into the nearest one and closing her eyes. Residual tension radiated through her body like a live wire, and she silently commanded her muscles to relax.
When she opened her eyes, she found Mya perched on the edge of the chair to her left, watching her. Worry flowed off of her in waves.
“I really am okay.” Aurora shifted into a more upright position. “I’m just having trouble processing the experience.”
Mya nodded, her warm brown eyes filled with empathy. “What happened?”
Aurora blew out a breath. “It started when we reached the outskirts of the affected area on our way to one of the farms. I felt tension creeping in, but I brushed it off as a reaction to the devastation we were seeing. But when we reached the farm, I felt…weird.”
“Weird, how?”
“Like someone had dunked me in a vat of toxic goo.”
Mya’s nose wrinkled. “Is that when you collapsed?”
She shook her head. “No, I was still managing okay until I approached the decayed plants.” She paused as she tried to put into words the feelings that had descended on her. “It was like a virus had been mainlined into my bloodstream.”
Mya’s eyebrows lifted.
“Kire had spotted a footprint about ten meters in, so I told him to lead and I followed.” Her chest tightened and she inhaled slowly, battling her mind’s reluctance to return to that moment. “But something happened when my foot touched the ash. It concentrated the sensations somehow, swamping me.” She shuddered as an echo of the feelings reverberated through her.
Mya slipped her right hand into Aurora’s left, holding it gently but firmly as a soft current of soothing energy flowed between them.
The energy halted the growing tension in her neck, and her constricted throat relaxed. Swallowing and breathing both became easier. “I locked up. My muscles…hell, my entire body stopped responding in any way. I toppled over because gravity works well on an inanimate object in motion.” She flinched at the memory.
Mya frowned. “What about your shield? Why didn’t you engage it?”
Aurora shifted her gaze to the viewport, focusing on the beauty of the star field so that she could keep her emotions reined in. “Just before I blacked out, I tried. Nothing happened.” And that terrified her more than anything else. Shielding was as natural to her as breathing, especially when she felt threatened. And it had never failed her…until now.
Mya stared at her, her lips parting in disbelief. “But…but you’ve always shielded whenever you’re scared or hurting.” She shook her head in denial and her voice grew louder. “Hell, when you were two years old and I got mad at you for breaking the microscope my parents had given me for my eighth birthday, your shield engaged, and that was before you even understood what you were doing.” She gestured in the direction of Gaia, her voice roughening with fear. “What could possibly be down there that paralyzed you and prevented you from protecting yourself?”
It was a very good question, and one she couldn’t answer. “I don’t know.”
A flash of pure terror appeared in Mya’s eyes, and that shocked Aurora more than her own collapse. She was used to seeing concern and even anxiety in Mya’s expression from time to time, but fear was not an emotion Mya allowed herself to show. Ever. It went against her personal and professional pride.
Aurora didn’t believe in showing fear either, yet she’d experienced a planet-sized dose today. The immobility had been scary, but if she was honest with herself, that wasn’t the worst part. No, the bone-deep horror lived in the discovery of her own vulnerability. She’d never understood the mental and emotional sensations that came from feeling helpless in the face of danger. Now she did.
The first glimmer of hope had been a vague awareness of Kire’s voice, and she’d grabbed hold of that tether
with the panic of a drowning victim. But that hadn’t been enough to pull her out of the void.
No, it was Celia who had managed that. She’d given her something to focus on, something other than the terror that had snarled and snapped all around her, driving her out of her mind and body. She couldn’t remember anything Celia had said, but she’d never forget the look in her eyes. She’d known. She’d known the darkness that Aurora had fallen into, the desperation. Because she’d been there herself. And she’d survived.
That realization had galvanized Aurora back into reality.
She took a calming breath, resting her forearms on her knees. “Whatever affected me is tied to the plant destruction. I’m certain of it. So in a way, my reaction is good. I’m like a divining rod for whatever’s happening down there. We might be able to use that to our advantage.”
Mya looked wary. “How?”
“If I reacted this strongly to the remains of the plants, I have to believe I’ll also react to the root cause of the destruction. We might be able to use that to track them down.”
Mya’s eyes widened. “Them?”
She nodded. “The evidence indicates a humanoid attack. How or why, I don’t know. Yet.” She reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out the drawing of the black figure. She opened the folded paper and handed it to Mya. “But one of the local children saw something.”
Mya stared at the image for several moments. When she looked up, the worry had returned to her eyes. “You want to act as a divining rod to track this?” Her tone clearly indicated what she thought of that idea.
Aurora ignored the sudden pounding in her chest. “That’s right. But first, I need to take a look at those plant samples.” She hauled herself to her feet.
Mya stood and put a restraining hand on her arm. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, considering what just happened to you? Speaking as your doctor and your friend, I don’t think you should be anywhere near those samples until we ascertain what’s triggering your reaction.”
The frown on Mya’s face had carved a deep line above the bridge of her nose. But Aurora couldn’t accept her friend’s advice. Too much was at stake.
“That’s exactly why I need to work with the samples.” Conviction gave her voice strength. “I have to know why whatever is out there is affecting me, and only me, this way.” She thought about the decimated landscape, the footprints, and the little girl’s drawing. “Because whatever it is, it’s our job to stop it.”
17
Celia stared at the data on her screen and sighed. Nothing. She’d been testing the plant and soil samples for everything she could think of and still had zip to show for her efforts. How could something cause this much destruction without leaving a trace of evidence that would explain how it was done?
Still, she was enjoying the hunt. She’d discovered her passion for pharmacology at the Academy, initially because so many plants could be used as poisons, and as a security officer in training, she needed to be able to identify them. But she’d also learned all the ways plants could help people, and that had motivated her even more.
She and Mya had spent many of their free hours together while they’d served on the Argo, working with new plants they’d encountered and sharing tips and tricks they’d learned. The rest of the time, she’d had fun challenging Aurora on the sparring mat. Aurora had spirit, but her fighting skills had been pathetic when they’d first started. Now she could hold her own, and their workouts took a lot more concentration and effort.
When Aurora had offered her the job on the Starhawke, saying yes had been the easiest decision she’d ever made, even though it meant leaving the Fleet. She’d fully expected to live and die in a Fleet uniform, but with the exception of her childhood mentor, there was no one she respected more than Aurora, and no one she was closer to than Mya. She’d accepted the offer as soon as Aurora finished her prepared speech.
She reached for another sample, but paused when the door to Mya’s office slid open and Aurora stepped into the med bay. They’d arrived about half an hour ago, and had been closed up in the office ever since. They could have worked at one of the lab tables in the main room, but she’d understood their desire for privacy. Aurora’s dramatic collapse on the planet had clearly shaken her, and she suspected her friend needed time to lick her wounds.
Aurora crossed the room and slipped onto one of the stools beside Celia’s workstation. “Got a minute?”
“Of course.”
Aurora picked up one of the vials lying on the table and studied it, rolling the glass tube between her fingers. She opened her mouth. Closed it. Cleared her throat. Then she lifted her gaze, revealing the tension around her eyes. “Is there anything you’d like to ask me?”
Celia hadn’t expected the subject to be broached so soon. “Do you have something you want to tell me?” she countered. Her job required her to pry into people’s backgrounds and personal lives all the time, but only to protect those around her. She respected her friends’ privacy, particularly regarding secrets they weren’t ready to share.
The hint of a smile appeared on Aurora’s lips. “Not going to make this easy for me, are you?” She placed the vial on the table and laced her fingers together. “I wanted to say thank you. I know I said it before, but in this case, it bears repeating.”
When she paused, Celia waited. She’d been in this type of situation more times than she could count, and she’d learned silence was the best encouragement she could give.
“You know there’s something different about me, don’t you?”
It was more a statement than a question, but she nodded anyway.
“But you’ve never asked for an explanation. Why?”
“Why would I?”
Confusion clouded Aurora’s gaze.
Celia rested a hand on her arm. “Whatever secrets you carry are yours alone. If you choose to share them, I’m always here. But sometimes there are things we need to keep to ourselves, at least until we’re ready.” She knew what she was talking about. She had an entire room full. “When the time comes, you’ll know.”
Aurora’s expression relaxed, the tension fading away. “Thank you.” She drew in a breath and gave herself a little shake. “So, any luck?” she asked, shifting back into her captain’s role.
“No so far. I have another fifteen minutes before the meeting, but it’s not looking good. What about you and Mya?”
Aurora grimaced. “Nothing. Mya’s going to keep working, but she’s not holding out much hope. Maybe Jonarel and Kire will have more success.” She stood and pulled her tunic into place. “I need to check in with Star on the bridge, so I’ll leave you to it. See you in the conference room.”
After she left, Celia returned to her task, but she continued to mull over the scene on Gaia. She’d always had theories about her friend, some of which today’s events seemed to have confirmed. And if she was right, there was a lot more to Aurora Hawke than most people imagined.
18
The crew had settled into six of the ten solid wood chairs surrounding the roughly circular table at the center of the conference room. Carved from the trunk of a native Drakar tree and polished until the surface shone like glass, the table was a stunning example of Kraed craftsmanship. But Aurora’s focus wasn’t on the table. She was too busy taking the emotional temperatures of the five people seated around it.
Kire and Jonarel had flanked her chair as soon as they’d arrived, putting her on red alert. Jonarel sat with his shoulders rounded forward and his arms pushed slightly away from his torso, giving him the appearance of a bouncer at a bar—the one you didn’t mess with unless your judgment was seriously impaired by alcohol.
Kire’s lean frame didn’t lend itself to that kind of fierceness, but the intensity of his regard was no less intimidating for the lack of brawn. While he prided himself on his diplomatic skills, at the moment he looked more inclined to engage in a physical contest rather than a mental one. That told her more than anything else that they
were dealing with more than dead plants on Gaia.
Celia was on Kire’s right with Kelly next to her. Kelly’s emotions were the same as always, since placid as a lake appeared to be her default setting. Celia, on the other hand, radiated a sharp focus that cut through the room like a laser. Clearly she still hadn’t found the answers she wanted.
Mya had been the last to arrive, taking a seat next to Jonarel while she continued to scan the information on her data pad. Her emotions were a mixture of concern and frustration that matched the overall feel of the room. Hopefully this discussion would change that.
Aurora rested her arms on the tabletop. “Let’s start with Celia’s analysis of the samples. What did you and Mya learn?”
“I pulled vials from each of the collection kits and ran the plant remains and soil through several tests, checking for any sign of chemical agents, toxins and foreign matter. Nothing unusual showed up. The only materials contained in the vials were those that were also present in the base samples Mya examined earlier. If anything was introduced to cause the destruction, it was also extracted or evaporated afterwards without leaving any traces.”
Mya picked up the thread. “I analyzed the samples for pathogens of a biological nature, such as a virus or bacteria, but had the same results. Even though all samples showed complete necrosis of the living tissue, the plants did not show any sign of infection or external trauma.”
“So there was nothing unusual?” Kire asked.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Mya glanced at him. “The cellular breakdown was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Most cells that are in a state of necrosis are the result of an internal virus or an external trauma that ruptures the cell wall, causing the nucleus to leak out. These cells looked like a physical trauma had occurred inside the cell, as though the nucleus was yanked through the cell wall, causing the rupture and the collapse of the cell.”
The Dark of Light (Starhawke Rising Book 1) Page 10