by Seven Steps
The house that they were looking for was set apart from the others, as if it were a lonely, awkward child that no one wanted to play with. Only, the inhabitants of that particular house were neither lonely or awkward. In fact, they were the exact opposite.
That house belonged to Phineas Zorg.
Ivan set the ship down in the back of the house, away from the prying eyes of anyone who might have been passing by.
The inside of the ship turned quiet. Sorcha could feel the tension built up between them. What had started out as a flurry had grown into a blizzard of silence, filled with chilly unsaid words and frosty looks, mostly coming from Ivan and aimed in her direction.
She’d seen him like that before and allowed him to have his frigid mood, but now they were there and they needed a plan. The time for his silence was over.
“Are you still upset with me?” she asked, unstrapping herself from her chair and turning her full body toward him.
She’d long since taken off her shoes and rubbed her feet against the blue carpet. She remembered why it had comforted her so back on Earth. It had reminded her of the ship. Reminded her of Ivan, and of what they’d shared there. She wouldn’t allow one reckless act to come between them. Not now, not ever. If they were going to survive, they would do it as a team. She was as determined to make him see that as she had been when she’d gone against the Mega-Corp ships.
“I’m not upset. Just concerned.”
Concerned. Uh oh.
She straightened in her seat and feigned ignorance, though her heartbeat sped up a bit. Better for him to tell her his exact issue rather than her try to guess. It was safer that way.
“Concerned about what?”
“About your absolute disregard for your own safety.”
Irritation bubbled in her gut, but, with great difficulty, she held it down. “I was trying to save us.”
“You were trying to be a hero.”
Better than being a coward. She bit her tongue against the ugly remark.
“What would you have done?” she asked instead.
“I would have found a way to get away without nearly killing us in the process.”
Good old Ivan, she thought sarcastically. Always trying to find the safest path.
“Sometimes, you have to stand and fight,” she said. “You can’t always run.”
“And you can’t always just think about yourself, Sorcha.”
“I was thinking about the both of us.”
“No; you weren’t. Because, if you were thinking about me, you would have known how worried I would have been if something happened to you. I want to protect you, Sorcha, but you never give me a chance. You always run headlong into danger and leave me in the dirt. You don’t even consider the fact that there could be another way. A safer way.”
Her irritation had turned into a bubble of anger. She swallowed down the curses that ate up her throat.
“I did what I had to do.”
“I know you did. And I appreciate it. I do. But, next time, just promise me that you will at least consider the possibility that there is a better way to handle things rather than to ram the front of a Mega-Corp ship and try to blow everything from here to Nova 9 to bits. Promise me you will be more careful, Sorcha.”
Though the frustration with his too cautious attitude ate up her spine, she nodded. Heck. If she was honest with herself, she had to admit that he had a valid point. She tended to rush into situations without fully evaluating them while Ivan buckled down and considered every possible outcome. If left to his own devises, he could spin in place for hours just thinking and planning. It drove her absolutely crazy. But, that was the scientist in him, and she had to accept it. Just as he had accepted the wild and free woman that she was. Maybe that was why they worked so well. They balanced each other out. Except when it came time to make a touch decision. When the cards were all laid out on the table, Sorcha followed her instincts and ran in, guns blazing and, for the most part, alone. She didn’t want to think about what that meant. It was a piece of her that she was too afraid to explore for fear of what she might find.
She put aside her nature and instincts and looked in to the eyes of the man she loved, and, for the sake of peace and sanity, she acquiesced.
“I promise.”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he opened his mouth, started to speak, closed it, then opened it again.
“You’re not going to fight me on this?”
Yeah. I’m shocked, too.
She shook her head and pasted a smile on her face.
“No. No more fights today.”
She didn’t know if it was the time she spent on Earth, or their battle with the Mega-Corp ship, but she wasn’t in the mood to fight. They were not each other’s enemies. The enemy sat thousands of miles away on a black rock in the middle of space.
Mega-Corp.
If they were going to be successful in beating them, then there was only one way that they could do that. Together.
Ivan leaned forward, reaching out his hand to pull her to him, and joined their lips, giving her a kiss that made her toes curl against the carpet. By the time he pulled way, her heart was beating erratically in her chest and she panted as if she’d just run a marathon.
Maybe this compromise stuff isn’t so bad after all.
His sweet smile warmed her from head to toe, and she bit her bottom lip, hoping he’d take the hint and bring his lips to hers again.
“I like this new Sorcha. All tame and tempered. Earth worked well for you, my love.”
And the moment’s over.
He stopped the tirade of very not tame or tempered words that rose in her throat with a quick kiss before unstrapping and walking to the back of the ship.
Just breathe, Sorcha. Just breathe.
Following her own advice, she took in a deep breath and stood up to follow him out of the side door. His grin stretched from ear to ear, lighting up his whole face. She couldn’t stay angry with him when he was so happy. But, she couldn’t let him get away with his little comment either.
“Tame and tempered, huh?” She stepped past him and out into the sunshine, a mischievous smile on her lips.
His smile turned into a grimace.
“Tame and tempered?”
“I’m going to pay for that later, aren’t I?”
She simply shrugged and walked ahead of him.
Her boots slipped and slid as she tried to make her way along the smooth, glass walkway that lead up to the back of the house. It was good to be back in her old clothes again. Black pants, black t-shirt, and black boots. It was her favorite color.
The suns were positioned at both the east and the west horizon. Typically, that was the time when most of the planet was asleep.
Rainbows danced all around them, a result of the sunlight passing through the glass at different angles. Their multi-colored beauty called to her, and she reached out a hand to pass it through when a memory slammed into her brain.
A female child, no more the four years old, sitting in the middle of a deserted street. Bodies, bloated and stinking, surrounded her. Tears streaked her cheeks and she cried into the blue sky, calling for someone, anyone to help her. Then, a man appeared. His face red from running. His burgundy and gold jump suit streaked with dirt. He had unusually large teeth.
“It’s a child,” he called behind him. “She’s alive.”
She reached her hand out to him. And then-
“Sorcha, are you alright?”
Ivan’s hand squeezed her shoulders, his brows furrowed in concern.
Sorcha shook her head to clear the unpleasant image.
“Sorcha, what happened? Is it the dreams again?”
Dreams?
She suddenly remembered.
The child is me. Those bodies … they were my family. And the man … he is my adoptive father, Sin. But Sin is gone now.
Bitterness overcame her; so potent that she spat on the ground next to her.
Yes. He was my fa
ther.
“I’m fine,” she said, harsher than she wanted to. “Let’s just keep moving.”
Before Ivan could ask any further questions, she walked forward again, still slipping and sliding along the glass walkway.
The air on Eminence Nova 1 smelled like fresh snow—clean and cold. She took in a deep breath, the chilly air making her lungs shiver.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she remembered who lived there and what that place meant to her. Fourteen years ago, she’d watched everyone she’d ever loved in her life drop dead in front of her. Her mother. Her father. Her brothers. Her sisters. They were all gone; killed by a giant machine that turned thriving planets into oil filled wastelands. She was the only one left alive.
And it’s all thanks to Phineas Zorg.
The walk way ended in three short, stone steps. The stairs led to a small, tight alcove at the back of the house. Sorcha placed her hand on the grey metal, and immediately removed it. It was so cold that it felt hot.
“Careful,” Ivan whispered. “If you leave it there too long, you’ll get freezer burn.”
Oh. Right.
How could she forget the burning ice houses of Nova 1? There was still a faded black, rectangle shaped mark on her palm from the first time she’d touched it. She’d thought it was some weird birth mark back on earth. Now she knew better.
Within the alcove was an opaque, glass door with a gold knocker. Ivan stepped around her, knocked four times, and waited.
“Is she expecting us?” Sorcha asked.
Ivan smiled. “She’s always expecting us.”
When did he call her? I don’t remember him mentioning it.
A tall man in white robes pulled open the door. His nearly translucent, porcelain skin, perfect, long white hair, and spotless attire made him look like a wingless angel. White crystals hung off him, clustered in his ears, around his neck, on his fingers, and in his hair.
Iven nodded at the man.
“Taklin.”
“Mr. Romanov. Miss Blitz.” The angel nodded first to Ivan, then Sorcha. “She is waiting for you.”
Taklin stepped back, allowing Ivan and Sorcha to enter the hallway beyond the alcove. Ivan reached for Sorcha’s hand, and she took it gladly. His warmth spread up her arms and touched her heart. He knew how tense that place made her. His touch calmed her, though she never told him that, and he didn’t mention it. She didn’t want to be vulnerable with who they were about to face, but with Ivan by her side, it didn’t seem so bad.
The inside of the hallway was surprisingly dark when compared to the brilliance of the outside. But the darkness didn’t last long. The hallway ended in a fork. On the right side was the kitchen, and on the left side was a common room.
Taklin turned them to the left.
Sorcha gasped. Though she’d been there dozens of times, the beautiful sight always took her breath away.
An elaborate mural of the galaxy covered the ceiling, complete with shimmering jewels carefully placed to mimic the constellations. The mural must’ve been painted with some sort of glow in the dark paint, because it lit up the room as if they really were standing beneath a beautiful night sky. A large purple speckled planet, one that Sorcha had seen on their way there, was painted on the center wall. The white between the purple glowed warmly. The suns were painted on the left and right wall, giving the room further light. Jewels accented each planet, placed with an artistic hand to represent craters and nooks, and to give depth to the murals.
Several padded chairs were sprinkled around the room, the frame of each jewel encrusted chair twinkling in the low light. In the middle of it all stood another angel dressed in white. She wore no makeup, but it didn’t matter. The woman’s big blue eyes, cherry cheeks, and her ruby red lips would only be hidden behind it. Her long blonde hair fashioned in a single braid that ran down her back.
She was stunningly beautiful.
Leilu Zorg.
The woman smiled, and held out her arms to them in welcome.
Nothing like the sour, first angel.
“Ivan and Sorcha,” she said, her voice melodic and full of warmth.
Ivan’s hands left Sorcha, and she fell into the woman’s arms, engulfing her as he had engulfed Sorcha earlier.
“Leilu, we couldn’t be happier to see you.”
Memories of the woman floated back into Sorcha’s mind. Tense memories.
She was Ivan’s cousin, and wife to the second most powerful man in the universe. Phineas Zorg. The man who’d killed Sorcha’s family.
Sorcha had been there before, and had known Leilu well. But their relationship was strained, with each visit bringing them closer and closer to the verge of World War III. Leilu’s husband was a mass murder. Sorcha’s family were victims of his crimes. And yet, Ivan held deep love for his cousin. Plus, Leilu was a master at making herself useful. She’d helped them out of many jams in the past. Still, she was sleeping with the enemy, which, in Sorcha’s book, made her a person not to be fully trusted.
“You look wonderful, Sorcha,” Leilu said, a beautiful smile clear on her face despite the low light of the room. Leilu hugging her tightly.
The contact made Sorcha tense up. Ivan’s touch gave her comfort. Leilu’s touch felt foreign. That was when Sorcha remembered: I’m not a hugger.
She patted Leilu’s back twice, and, finally, the woman let go.
“Two pats?” Leilu asked. “I’m impressed. Normally, I just get a growl.” She turned toward Ivan with a smile. “Cousin, what have you done to her? Whatever it is, do it again!”
Ivan held up his hands. “I can’t take any credit for it.”
“I’m tame and tempered now,” Sorcha announced. She saw Ivan’s grimace return, and raised a teasing eyebrow at him.
If he thinks he’s living that one down any time soon, he has another thing coming.
Leilu laughed out loud. “I’d sooner believe that the suns are falling from the sky than to believe that Sorcha is anything close to tame or tempered.”
She hiked her robes and walked across the dark glass floor, her white slippers distinctly out of place with such eloquent garments. She looked like a Grecian goddess who wore house shoes.
“Did you get my message?” Ivan asked, following Leilu to the back of the large space. Sorcha stood next to him, feeling his warmth and his comfort even more acutely in the dark room.
“Of course,” Leilu replied. “And I’ve found the perfect place for you to hide out.”
A cylindrical console rose from the floor, its buttons lighting yellow, red, and blue. At its full height, the console stood about four feet tall. When it clicked into place, a hologram of a small, red planet spun in front of them.
“This is Sorin. It’s a single dimension planet. No Eminence. No Nadir.”
“Is that possible?” Ivan asked.
“It’s rare, but these places do exist. Planets that are no good for fuel and have no superior knowledge. It’s boring and unattractive to anyone who matters. It’s the perfect place to hide.”
Sorcha watched the red, spinning planet, an odd feeling of doom forming in her chest.
“How’d you find it?” Ivan asked.
“Have you forgotten? I have every resource at my fingertips. It was just a matter of asking the right person the right question.”
“When can we leave?”
“Immediately. The sooner the better.”
Apprehension made Sorcha sweat despite the coolness of the room.
Is he seriously considering this? I can’t be in one place for too long. I’ll go stir crazy. He knows that. Everyone who knows me knows that.
“Is there a contact?” Ivan asked.
“Of course.”
Conversation swirled around her. Ivan and Leilu were deciding Sorcha’s future without her. They’d already picked a place for her to settle down. If it were left up to them, she’d be married, barefoot, and pregnant by the time she turned nineteen. But that wasn’t what Sorcha wanted. Yes, she loved Ivan, but
he had too much to lose by marrying her. His father had made his thoughts about Sorcha very clear the first time Ivan introduced them. The second Sorcha left the room, words like trash and vagrant came spewing from Troy Romanov’s mouth. He’d told Ivan that he’d cut him off and disinherit him if he ever married her. The words made Sorcha feel worthless. Like she was dirt beneath Troy’s very expensive shoes. She’d run from the house, tears in her eyes and a heavy heart. Needless to say, that was the last time Sorcha ever saw Troy.
She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned her weight on one hip, staring at her proposed new home.
I’m not staying there. I can’t. There’s too much to do. I can’t be hidden away on a planet to play wife and mother. I won’t pretend like there is nothing wrong in the universe. That Phineas Zorg isn’t melting innocent people down for fuel right beneath the Eminence’s noses. I have to stop him. I have to change things.
A shock of blue toward the bottom of the planet caught her eye.
Was that there before?
She watched the azure light wave and swirl, slowly moving up the sides of the red planet until it had taken up half of the orb. Another wash of white, pink, and green came into view, making the planet look like the unfortunate target of a paint ball war.
Sorcha’s mouth dropped open, and she looked at Leilu and Ivan.
Can they see the changes in the planet? Do they know there are more dimensions?
The two cousins didn’t seem to notice. They were too busy discussing living arrangements and selling Sorcha’s ship for parts. Apparently, they planned on grounding her for good.
She smirked. They can try.
She looked back at the multi colored planet, examining the movement of the different dimensions as they flowed and shimmered around each other. Most planets had two dimensions. Eminence, where the richest and most powerful beings in the universe lived, and Nadir, the equivalent of a slum. When she’d been on Earth, she’d lived in a Nadir dimension.