by Luna Hunter
The AI shrugs. “I can do that too, so I didn’t think it too weird or anything, but this…”
Anaya laughs, and the sound warms my heart. “Normal for you, maybe, but for an ‘organic meatbag’ like myself? It’s pretty extraordinary, if not unnerving!”
“We’ve got to get out of here,” I say, scrambling up to my feet.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Sanura says. “Fire her up!”
We head towards the cockpit and I fire up the engines, flicking on the data-clearances I need to leave Corlis Station. This ship was built for cargo runs, not high speed getaways, so getting the engines started takes more time than I’d like.
“By the way, look what I have,” Sanura says as she pulls out a data stick from between her breasts.
I never considered that an appropriate place to store data before, but I don’t let it distract me from getting the ship started. I’ll have plenty of time to be amazed when we’re home safe and sound.
“Zaid, in the flesh. So to speak, anyway,” the AI says.
Anaya’s eyes grow wide. “No way?! You found him?!”
“Yes way. Turns out, Zaid didn’t sell out to SINTRA — they captured him, and with the help of my friends here, we busted him out of storage.”
“That’s amazing,” my mate says. “And dangerous as hell!”
“Like I said, I’d do anything for Mikael. He’s one of us.”
“Can he heal Mikael?”
Sanura frowns. “That’s the crux. You see, SINTRA destroyed Zaid’s body, but kept his consciousness locked up in a digital vault. And that’s what we’ve got right here,” she says, wiggling the data stick.
“An AI without a body?” Anaya asks.
Sanura nods grimly. “It was the only way to get him out. We didn’t have the time, or money for that matter, to find him an empty host.”
“I don’t understand,” I say. “Can he heal Mikael or not?”
“Without a body to work from, that’s going to be hard,” Sanura answers.
“What about my ship?” I say.
All the AI’s stop what they’re doing and glare at me.
“What?” Did I say something wrong?
“You’re an organic, you wouldn’t understand,” Sanura says. “The ship is too constraining. We’re digital lifeforms, yes, but we’re still alive. To be trapped in a ship, it’s like a… prison. Imagine your soul trapped in a statue. That’s how it would feel like to us.”
“I understand,” I say. “But there’s go to be some other option.”
“There is, but you’re not going to like it. We could let him merge with Mikael.”
“Merge?!” Anaya sputters. “You’ve got be kidding me!”
“There’s no other way,” Sanura says grimly. “Mikael is out of sorts. We don’t know what that virus is doing to him, but for all we know, time might be running out.”
“If that damn launch-clearance doesn’t come in soon, we’re definitely out of time,” I growl as I punch the request in again.
I want to get out of here as soon as possible, because if we don’t have clearance, we’re as good as dead if we try to leave. This ship is fast, but still no match for Corlis’s cannons. If we make a break for it, we’ll be vaporized. Turned into cosmic dust.
“Okay, just, let me think for a moment,” Anaya says. “What do you mean by merge?”
“To be honest… we’re not sure.”
“Not sure?!”
“It’s never been done before. Best case scenario? Mikael wakes up with two distinct personalities, Mikael and Zaid, who both inhibit the same body.”
“And what’s the worst case scenario?” I ask.
Sanura whistles. “Worst case… it drives them both insane. Or Zaid overwrites Mikael entirely. Like I said, it’s never been done before.”
My mate turns to me, her eyes filled with doubt.
“What do you think we should do, Theros? I’m lost.”
I’ve never dealt with synthetic lifeforms before. I don’t know how they work, and it’s all pretty much magic to me. Yet, I know they’re very much alive, and I know that Mikael is my mate’s best friend.
“Try it,” I say. “If it can bring Mikael back, it’s worth a shot.”
“Okay,” Anaya nods. “Okay. Do it. Before I change my mind.”
Sanura plugs the datastick in the port on Mikael’s neck, and all we can do is wait. I impatiently drum my fingers against the control stick, my eyes locked to my panels.
“Are you sure you all want to travel to New Exon with me?” I ask the other AI’s on board.
“Any place is better than this one,” one of them says.
“Alright. I’m sure you could find safe harbor on the New Exon Trade Ports.”
The Vinzonian Merchants will welcome them with open arms. The Thaboist Warrior Regiments however… not so much. I can already imagine the shock on Commander Helios’s face if I return with a ship filled with AI and a half-human female!
In the distance the space dock lights flash red as the doors start to close.
“Damn it,” I growl as I punch the dashboard. We’re trapped like fish in a barrel!
“It’s no use. SINTRA has taken over the Station entirely.”
The voice belongs to Mikael. All our heads swivel towards him.
“They’ve infiltrated every single system on this Station in the past few weeks. We can’t escape them.”
Anaya rushes to his side, flinging her arms around him. “You’re okay!” she says, “You’re okay! I was so worried!”
I watch as her face is filled with relief, and even under these dire circumstances that warms my heart.
“Oh come on, it takes more than a little Zuberi-virus to knock me out,” he grins.
“Zuberi?!” Sanura says. “It’s a miracle you’re even still alive!”
“It is,” he says. “And I have you all to thank for it. Sorry for being such a burden.”
“I should be the one who’s sorry!” Anaya cries. “It’s me they’re after! If I didn’t have these damn powers, none of this would have happened.”
“What about Zaid?” Sanura asks.
Mikael’s eyes gloss over for a second, and when he speaks, his voice has a different twang to it. His posture changes slightly, as he leans into his seat.
“Still here, darling. Don’t you worry about that. Nice job busting me out of there, by the way. That virtual prison was definitely cramping my style.”
Sanura rolls her eyes and busts out laughing at the same time. “That’s the Zaid I remember,” she says.
Anaya takes a step back, a frown on her face.
“This is… weird,” she whispers.
“It sure is, doll,” he says. “Mikael is still here though. However, we’ve got more important things to talk about right now.”
The AI turns his head towards me.
“I’ve got bad news for you, big guy: There’s no way you’re making it out of here on that ship of yours. In a few minutes, their troops will be swarming this place.”
“That’s what I feared,” I say. “We’ll have to teleport out of here.”
“Where to?” Anaya says. “We can’t keep running forever.”
“No,” I say grimly. “We’ll have to teleport to the New Exon Trade Ports.”
“But… that is tens of thousands of miles away.”
“I know.”
“Can you do that? Is your power that strong?”
I grin. “Only one way to find out.”
“What about them?” she asks, pointing to her friends.
Mikael answers, this time in his own voice. “Don’t worry about us. We’ve got Zaid on our side now. This is our home, and we should defend it. With him to show us the ropes, we can fight them and hit it where it hurts — right in their very core systems. It’s about time someone stands up to these bullies.”
“And with my updated combat programming, we’re a match for any SINTRA soldier,” Sanura says.
I wish I could
teleport every single one of us out of there, but that kind of exertion would surely kill me. Even this jump is incredibly risky, but I’m hoping that Anaya’s soul will fuel my powers. I’ll need her strength if we are to survive this jump.
I take a deep breath and stand up.
Time to take the leap.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Anaya
I hug Mikael tightly. I don’t know when, if ever, I’ll see him again.
“You take good care of him, you hear?” I tell Sanura.
“Don’t worry,” she says. “I’ve got his back.”
“We’ll be fine,” Mikael answers. “You go chase your dreams, butterfly. You finally find your soulmate. Didn’t I tell you dreams can come true?”
I kiss his cheek. “Promise me you’ll take of Cuddles, okay?”
“Promise.”
My heart aches as I let go and turn to Theros. “I’m ready,” I say. “Ready as I’ll ever be, anyway”
If all goes well, we’ll be on New Exon in a few moments time. I never thought I’d see the Zoran world. Although I am proud of my half-Zoran heritage, I visually appear human, and so I’ve always identified with that side of me a lot more.
To be honest, the Zorans always kind of scared me. They are tough and headstrong, and always seem to have all the answers. Me? I’m just an insecure, mixed-alien race girl. Embracing my humanity was the easy option.
Well, I was that insecure girl. Now, with Theros on my side, I feel like I can take on the entire world.
It seems that this is what destiny has in store for me.
Heavy gravity boots hit the planks outside, a bit too close for comfort. My mate grabs my hand and forces me to look into his eyes. I hyperfocus my attention on the Zoran. I open all of my senses to him and establish a telepathic link.
My thoughts follow his as the world around me disappears.
I see… a jungle. Thick vegetation, lush and overgrown. I see beautiful gardens, filled with fresh fruit, the delicious smell making my mouth water. Theros’s love and pride for his homeworld crackles in the air, and I let it flow right through me.
I feel as light as a feather as a bubble of pure light forms around us, spinning wildly, rapidly changing colors.
A heavy knock on the door momentarily steals my attention. The light instantly flickers.
“Don’t worry,” Mikael says, tapping the side of his head. “Combat training, remember? They won’t know what hit ‘em.”
Theros turns my chin back to him.
“Focus on me.”
I do as he asks, and the light grows stronger again. My feet leave the ground as we levitate, a warmth spreading throughout my entire body.
We spin, faster and faster, holding hands, until the room becomes nothing more than a blur.
Just as the door is busted down with a battering ram my mate and I tumble into a kaleidoscopic tunnel. Theros pulls me close, wrapping his arms tightly around me, and I bury myself in his chest, letting my energy flow into him.
My emotions are all over the place. I’m happy to be with my mate, and I’ll be glad when we reach New Exon, but I don’t like leaving my friends behind. Even though they swore they could take of themselves. I’m a fixer, I want to save everyone and everything. Mikael is right though — I should learn to accept what I have, and trust them to stay safe. Stars know that without Sanura’s help, we never would have gotten out of that warehouse in the first place.
These thoughts swirl through my mind as we travel through the limbo. Time is hard to measure in here, but it feels like hours pass.
Suddenly, the sounds of loud speakers and low voices fill my ears as I come to. The very first thing I see is Theros’s gorgeous smile.
“Welcome to New Exon, my love.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Theros
I hold my mate in my arms tightly, letting her delicious scent surround me. Thank the Sacred Mothers she’s okay.
“Theros, I can’t breathe,” she wheezes.
“Sorry,” I say as I give her an inch of space. I don’t want to let her go. Not ever again. While we were traveling through hyperspace I was afraid I was going to pass out from sheer exhaustion, and lose her in that limbo. Now, I’m so happy I could cry.
“We made it,” I say. “We made it!”
Anaya looks around, her eyes wide open. “Where are we exactly?”
“These are the New Exon Trade Ports,” I tell her. “Built on the Arcor Moon, high above New Exon itself. If you look up through the glass ceiling, you’ll see New Exon itself.”
“Wow,” is all she can say as she enjoys the view. “There are so many humans here!”
“Agreed. The Trade Ports are where we facilitate communications with our planetary allies and trade partners. It’s the only place where humans are allowed.”
I’ve never set a foot in these halls myself. Born and raised a Thaboist warrior, I’m definitely out of element here in this Vinzonian space. However, we are safe. For now. There will be no purists around to judge or exile us.
Our sudden entry has attracted quite a crowd who stare at us, mouths agape. A Vinzonian guard, his skin olive green, approaches. My warrior reflexes kick in and I stand up straight, my eyes meeting his.
“Are you okay?” he asks. “What happened?”
I remain tight lipped as I assess the man in front of me. I have kept my powers secret — only one person in the Sacred Order knows. If everyone knew that we were Chosen, that the ancient prophecies were coming true…
Well, that would change our entire society.
Anaya and I may have escaped the imminent threat of SINTRA, but in many ways, the real battle is just beginning. I don’t know how much the Thaboists will resist, and what lengths they’ll go through to deny us our Mating Ceremony, but I do know one thing.
I will keep Anaya safe. No matter what.
“That’s a matter for the Sacred Order,” I tell the guard.
“Very well,” is his answer.
I expected him to put up a fight, but the Vinzonian official backs down instantly. That is decidedly not how this confrontation would have played out on the surface.
“I can see you require aid, though. Let me help you.”
The Zoran slips his arm around my shoulder, and only now do I realize just how tired I am. Every muscle, every bone, every fiber in my body aches. The teleportation sapped me off all my strength, and as the adrenaline fades, the pain arrives.
The guard guides me to a Sacred Order post, while I hold Anaya’s hand. She’s looking around, taking in all the sights of this different world. When we arrive, a human male walks in. He introduces himself as Dr. Kaya, and he moves to check my vitals.
“Surprised to see me work here?” The doctor asks when he sees my raised eyebrows. “This is not the surface, you know. Humans, full or partial bloods, can also work for the Sacred Order. The Kazimir are not so strict as you stubborn surface-dwellers.”
“The Thaboists would not approve.”
“Luckily for us, they are not here to disapprove,” he says with a smile. “Now, lets see. Oh dear. Your vitamin levels are dangerously low. Are you eating properly?”
“It’s hard to explain, doctor. Just fix me up, will you?”
Dr. Kaya gives me a shot while shaking his head.
“You Thaboists and your secrets. Oh, don’t give me that look, of course I can tell, if not from your armor or your tattoos, than from the way you carry yourself. Highly unusual of you to be traveling with a human, though. Not that I disapprove, of course.”
“She’s partial blood, actually,” I tell him.
The doctor turns to Anaya.
“Ah, yes, now that you mention it! Her Zorashi symbols are faint, but they’re there alright.”
Anaya pulls her collar up, giving the two us a strange look.
“What are you two talking about?”
“Don’t worry,” I say. “These are good folk.”
So far I’ve been treated much better than I ex
pected. The Vinzonian Trade Ports really are a different world than the surface — no wonder Commander Helios didn’t want me to visit.
If every Zoran knew we could live like this, I’m sure the Warrior Regiments would clear out in no time…
“Any plans while you’re here?” The doctor says as he writes me a prescription. “Here to see the sights? The Vinz Museum is supposed to be good.”
Plans? Sure. I’ve got thousands of them. Most of them involve burying myself inside of Anaya in a variation of poses and positions.
Unfortunately, there are other, more pressing matters. I’ve got to face Commander Helios, and explain to him what happened to the vessel and the cargo.
We’ve also got to pay ourselves a visit to the Sacred Order. I need the Sacred Mothers to read our Zorashi symbols, to acknowledge our bond.
To arrange our Mating Ceremony. To tell them the Mating Star approaches.
However, before we do all that, I need to recuperate. The interstellar jump sapped me of all my strength, and I need every ounce of it before I face my commander. He’s well known for his temper, and if I tell him I’m mated to a partial blood, well… there’s no telling what he might do.
“Yes, just seeing the sights,” I tell the doctor.
No need to make him wiser than he already is.
“Enjoy your stay then,” he says as he hands me a package. “Take one of these every six hours, and you should be back in shape in a few days time. There’s a prescription included as well, in case you feel like you need more. And watch that diet from now on!”
“You got it, doctor.”
I wrap one arm around Anaya and gently lean on her as we make our way out of the office and into the main hall of the Trade Ports.
“Where to now?”
“Let’s just enjoy the sight for a moment.”
This place is very different from Corlis. That was mostly corridors and tunnels, while the Trade Ports are open and spacious, the giant glass domes providing an amazing view of New Exon and the starry sky. The jungles of the my planet are visible even from up here.
Anaya hugs me tightly, resting her cheek against my chest.