“Show me!”
Shhhh! Desh projected, looking around. He recalled the image of Lux finding Meta and pushed it to Renn.
Renn shook his head while he watched.
“It was a trap to get you here,” Desh said. “And it’s not that I didn’t want you two to be together. I just wanted you to be more discreet about it so other people wouldn’t know.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s how my father died. The enemy used him as bait.”
“Then why weren't they waiting for me at the portal?” Renn asked.
“They're not after you or Meta, they're after Mom,” Desh replied, losing patience. He stepped forward, grabbing Renn’s arm. “Come on, we have to get back.”
“Get off!” Renn shouted.
“Renn, I’m not going to hurt you!”
“Then why can’t I stop dreaming about it? Just stay away from me, Desh!” Renn said, emitting a burst of energy into Desh’s chest that sent him flying into the side of the rocky hill.
Desh hit a large stone with the back of his head and fell to the ground, unmoving.
“Oh gawd,” Renn said, lunging forward. He checked for his brother’s pulse, finding it as steady as his breathing. “I’m sorry, Desh. I just can’t trust you,” Renn said, and then whipped around when he heard the crunch of footsteps.
“Micah?” Renn asked, flabbergasted to see him walk through the trees. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to find you. Renn, what have you done?” Micah asked, looking at Desh.
“I didn’t mean to hurt him. I just…I can’t explain now. Micah, please. I’ve got to find Meta,” Renn pleaded, looking back towards the caves.
“I think I know where she is. I could have sworn I heard a voice coming from that cave over there,” Micah said, pointing.
Renn took a step towards the cave, then stopped and looked back at his brother. “What about Desh?” he asked.
“I’ll take him back to the ship. Just go find Meta,” Micah said. “I’ll cover you.”
“Thanks, Micah,” Renn said, running off, grateful that there was at least one person who understood him.
***
Desh awoke to the vibrations in the ground and the sound of thumping coming from a short distance. Aranea, Desh thought. He felt the back of his head throbbing and ran his fingers through his hair to check for blood. Nothing. A wave of anger ran through his body, as he cursed the day he became a brother.
“Renn, I’m going to kill you,” he seethed, pushing himself up.
The Mindeerian sword came around his shoulder so swiftly that he only had time to gasp before the blade stopped an inch from his throat.
“Don’t move,” Micah whispered into his ear.
Desh glanced down at the blade, finding the shiny green tint that Baylorblood always left, glimmering on the metal. He froze.
“Got to love curved blades,” Micah taunted. “Are you sure you can push it away without knowing how far behind your neck the blade goes? Now, put your palms together very slowly.”
Desh hesitated, but Micah was right. The blade only had to graze his skin to do its worst. Desh obeyed and Micah tapped Desh’s wrist with a small silver device that excreted cool liquid metal, slithering around his hands until it solidified, rendering his hands immobile. His palms snapped when he felt the pinch on his ears as Micah attached thought blockers to his ears.
“Now, it’s just you and me,” Micah said.
***
Renn walked deeper into the narrow cave, then froze when he saw the first torch on the wall.
He thought about Dylan and Leo, remembering Leo’s words, “Run the moment you see you’re walking into the dream.” He then thought about Dylan. “Maybe you can change the outcome.” The outcome... This is where Desh kills me, he thought, and looked back at the cave entrance, half expecting to see Desh standing there, but there was no one.
Renn turned back to the darkness, leading deeper into the cave, and put his hand on the stone wall, unsure of what to do. He thought about Meta. She wasn’t in any of the dreams. What was her outcome? The more he thought about it, the more his anxiety rose. He knew that if he kept walking, his death was waiting for him. But the dream, having never mentioned Meta, left open the possibility that he could save her before he died.
Renn took a deep breath as his body shook with fear and he willed his foot to move forward. Tears filled his eyes, realizing this would be the end. His foot stopped at the thought of his dad and he wondered who would be the one to tell him that he had just lost his son. Then an image of Meta materialized in his mind. He stepped another foot forward and inched along the wall to brace himself, as he tried to summon the courage. “I won’t leave you, Meta,” he whispered.
He took another step forward, willing his body to walk faster. Once he turned a corner, he heard the echo of a faint whimper deeper in the cave. He picked up the pace until breaking into a run while adrenaline coursed through his veins. He whipped around a corner and skidded in the dirt, finding himself standing between two tunnels. “Which…Meta!”
He heard another faint whimper and took off towards the crying, scraping against stone walls when sconces became too sparse. He passed by openings, leading to abandoned rooms, and expected someone to jump out at any moment. But no one came and so he went deeper and deeper into the cave. He slowed down when the ground changed from dirt and loose rock to a flat, black stone. The stone lead to a large decrepit room with stairs carved into the rock walls, leading to dark passageways. He looked around, finding it empty. There were ledges that seemed to go nowhere, other than around the room. Large stone pillars had fallen over the years, blocking entrance ways and obstructing views of sections of the room.
He walked around with his hands up, trembling, knowing he wouldn’t find Meta alone; knowing that unlike the simulation room, he was going to feel, smell, and taste everything.
Something in the distance caught Renn’s eye, but a large pillar obstructed his view. He could see metal poles leading from the floor to the ceiling, with a massive stone hanging from the top, suspended by a chain in between the poles. The chain led to the side of a wall with a crank for the stone to be lifted or left to drop. Renn walked around pillars and boulders, trying to get to it as fast as he could.
He heard whimpering coming from that direction and he jumped over a large pillar, finding Meta sitting inside the poles, underneath the hanging stone. Her hands hovered above her head, chained to a pole.
Meta! Renn projected.
She kept her head lowered while she cried, not responding, despite the absence of thought blockers.
Renn stepped forward. It took a few more steps until Meta responded to the crunching of rock beneath Renn’s feet.
She looked up, startled, her face covered in tears. “Renn!” Meta cried.
He ran over, able to fit between the stone poles with ease and kissed her.
“Who did this?” Renn asked.
“Eminites,” Meta sobbed.
“Did they hurt you?” Renn asked, trying to figure out how to get the chains off her hands without ripping her flesh in the process.
“No,” Meta cried. “They said they were waiting for you. I’m so sorry.”
Renn froze as a chill ran up his spine. Desh was right. He looked around the room, still finding it empty. He thought about the image Desh had projected of Meta’s body and became nauseated when everything began to fit into place. He felt Meta’s warm hand and looked into her eyes. He tried to shake it off, but knew there could only be one reason why he couldn’t hear her thoughts.
“Meta, what’s your manufacture date?”
“5.15.7267,” she replied.
CHAPTER 20
Traitor
“You don’t have to die,” Micah said in Desh’s ear as he held the curved blade around Desh’s neck. “None of them did. The portals never belonged to you in the first place. Just give them up and this will all be over.”
“What the hell are
you talking about?” Desh asked.
“Cybernex, idiot. Just hand it over to the Eminites and they’ll give you anything you want. Anything at all, just name your price.”
“Micah, you’ve gone mad. Cybernex doesn’t belong to me or to anyone else. It belongs to the citizens of the Federation.”
“It’s protected by the De-An. The portals don’t work without the De-An’s blood,” Micah said.
“Then take it up with them,” Desh said.
“You are the De-An!” Micah shouted. “Have you never wondered why every system in the Federation knows who you are? That there isn’t a door you can’t walk through, a window you can’t open, a system you can’t break? Your DNA was chosen and they gave your bloodline the keys to the Federation. Do you have any idea how much those keys are worth? He who controls the portals, controls every planet within the Cybernex system.”
“You’re delusional,” Desh said, trying to wrap his mind around what Micah was saying.
“Hollen will never surrender, I’m sorry, but she has to die. Your brother, now I’m gonna bet he’s breakable. You…well, that remains to be seen. It’s your choice, Desh. Die a martyr or control the Federation.”
“Tell me, Micah. What’s it feel like to be the Eminite’s lapdog?” Desh asked in defiance.
Micah shook his head. “Have it your way.”
Desh focused on the blade, telekinetically holding it in place the second he heard the zipping of the arrow flying through the air. The blade hovered around his neck, when Micah’s body stiffened behind him and his crisp corpse fell to the ground with the Baylorblood-soaked arrow sticking out of his back.
“Don’t move, Brother,” a familiar voice said, taking control of the blade and pulling it away from Desh’s neck.
Desh turned around, having never been so grateful to see Kia.
“Are you hurt?” Kia asked.
“I’m fine, but Renn’s gone. Where is everyone?” Desh.
“They’re putting on battle gear and getting weapons. I couldn’t wait,” Kia replied as he tapped Desh’s hands with a silver device and the metal binding liquefied, retracting back into the apparatus, releasing his hands.
“Where the hell is he?” Desh asked, looking around. “Micah talked about him as if he was still alive.”
“Why haven’t they attacked?” Kia asked, looking off towards the ceaseless thumping.
“They’ve got to be waiting for her,” Desh replied. “Kia, we need to keep moving and find Renn.”
“No, I need to keep moving and find Renn. You need to go back to the ship and from the sound of it, so does Hollen. My dad and I will take care of this.”
“Kia, she won’t leave without Renn. If you want to save any of us, we have to leave together,” Desh replied and scanned the terrain.
Desh saw a reptile in the distance, basking in the sun, unperturbed by the vibrations. He entered the reptile’s mind, scanning through memories until he saw a tall human point out a cave to a young blond. The reptile watched the boy run to one of the caves nearby and disappear within.
“He’s in that one,” Desh said. He turned back to Micah and pulled the Baylorblood-dipped sword through the air. “Let’s go.”
“Desh!” Kia said, grabbing his arm.
“Kia, you can go with me or you can stay behind and wait for the others, but I am going after my brother,” Desh said, yanking his arm back.
***
The Galileo was buzzing with gossip as everyone walked around, trying to figure out what was going on. Leo went back to the dorms while Dylan stayed in the girls’ room trying to comfort Joss and Lux, who continued to sob uncontrollably when Meta’s body was taken away.
When Leo walked into the boy’s room, he went over to Renn’s bed and opened the call log on the computer screen. He clicked “Connect,” prompting it to ring for Adam Andreas.
Adam’s face appeared with a smile, expecting to see his son. When he saw that it was Leo, his face flushed. “Is he alive?” Adam asked, preparing himself for the worst.
“I…I don’t know,” Leo replied in a weak voice. Leo explained everything he knew, about Meta’s phone call, Renn leaving, and Desh and Kia going after him.
“Thanks, Leo,” Adam said, and ran out of the screen.
Adam drove to the nearest portal and changed the destination to “Q.” When he boarded the Quintessence, the remaining crew cleared their path for Adam, nodding their heads in acknowledgement that he had returned.
A Zeanup stood up as Adam walked onto the bridge, incensed at Adam's presence. “No. No, you can’t just come in here, Adam. You’re no longer the second lieutenant, I am,” the Zeanup grunted.
Adam walked up to the Zeanup with such force, the Zeanup instinctively took a step back. “Second lieutenant is assigned to the heirs’ second parent. That’s how it is and that’s how it will always be. Thanks for covering for me for the last 14 years, now get the hell out of my way,” Adam said.
The Zeanup hesitated, then stepped aside, submitting to the protocol whether he liked it or not.
Adam walked up to the screens, which displayed astronomical maps, with Hollen’s location highlighted. “Why don’t we have visuals?” Adam said.
“The planet’s Martex. Portals were only opened there a week ago,” a crewmember replied. “It’s not even part of the Federation yet. It’s still being researched by Cybernex.”
“I’ve already sent satellites. We’ll have them in place within the hour,” the Zeanup added.
“It’ll be over in an hour,” Adam replied. “If Cybernex has portals there, then they’ll have reconnaissance-bots in place. Request connection from Cybernex to bring up the visuals on every bot within a five mile radius of that portal.”
Within seconds, the screens displayed a dozen different angles of the area, seen through the eyes of robotic insects. The screens showed sheets of silver cascading near the framed portal. Warriors from dozens of species ran through the silver sheets, wearing the I.A.’s black and silver battle suits with the I.L.E. emblem chiseled into the shields and uniforms.
Torans took flight towards the mountains, flying low enough to remain out of view from the Eminites and Aranea on the other side of the mountain.
“Where are you, Renn?” Adam mumbled, as his eyes scanned the screens.
***
Hollen walked up to Schepp while soldiers filtered through hovering portals. Has Kia found the boys? she projected.
I can’t find Kia, but I found Micah. His body was behind the trees over there, Schepp thought.
“His body? What killed him? Aranea or Eminite?” Hollen asked.
“Kia,” Schepp replied, holding up the arrow.
Hollen looked at Schepp, alarmed. “It was Micah?” Hollen grimaced, thinking of him aboard the Galileo with her sons.
“We’ll find them, Sister,” Schepp said.
She turned to one of the soldiers. “Maleese. Send out ident-seekers.”
“Yes, Captain,” a female Lucian replied. The Lucian pulled out half a dozen silver discs, tapping the command onto a tiny screen on each of the seekers. The discs took flight, scanning her face to see if she was the one they sought, and then continued on to the next face.
The thumping of the Aranea’s tails increased, faster and faster as one last warning.
Hollen looked up towards the flying Torans. Do any of you see the heirs? she projected.
No, Captain, the Torans thought.
***
Tears streamed down Renn’s face as he kissed Meta one last time. He stopped, looking into her eyes, and leaned forward to reach behind her.
“No, no, please don’t,” she cried. She tried to pull away, but the chains binding her wouldn’t allow her to go too far. “Don't turn me off. I love you. I want to be with you,” Meta pleaded.
“No, Meta wanted to be with me,” Renn replied in agony.
“I am Meta!” she replied.
“No you’re not!” Renn cried, getting angrier by the second. “You�
�re the reason she died. Your function was to lure me here so the enemy could get to my mother. Well done!” he said, gritting his teeth, hating the android for resembling the girl he was willing to die to save.
He shut her off, letting her head slump to her chest. He stepped back out of the poles, receiving a blow to the head with the butt of a sword, knocking him unconscious.
***
Hollen turned to the soldiers and projected, Fighters, prepare.
The soldiers aligned, facing the mountain and readied themselves. Humans checked their bionic suits and laser guns; Torans slung back their dipped arrows and extended their wings; Mindeerians’ hands illuminated, while Janiuns, Zeanups, Humans, Lucians, Larks, Zorgres, Dotnets, and Gopecs stood ready for the call.
If any of you find the heirs, your sole mission is to get them back to the Quintessence. This surpasses all commands, Hollen projected. She walked towards the mountain, when the mountain suddenly disappeared. She found herself face-to-face with the enemy, not having realized the mountain had been a hologram. Her eyes widened and she jerked, initiating a force field in time to deflect laser blasts that had been fired.
There was no time. Schepp leapt high into the air and gave a thunderous war cry. The I.A. soldiers and Eminites charged, both sides firing as they ran. The Eminite commander roared from behind, while Aranea and Eminites filtered through the soldiers.
Hollen charged, thrashing and jumping, while two Mindeerian swords severed necks at a rapid pace around her. She leapt over the enemy, making her way towards the commander who stood in the back, as if waiting for her.
The battlefield was a chaotic storm of arrows firing down, laser blasts firing up, swords slashing, teeth biting, war cries, screams of agonizing pain, the smell of death, and the taste of blood.
Schepp sprayed Baylorblood-soaked arrows into the enemy, never straying too far from Hollen.
Hollen reached the commander, blasting him with lightning, which he deflected with his shield, ricocheting it back to her. She deflected her own blast, and spun the Mindeerian swords before her, snapping and hissing with electricity. The Aranea beneath the commander snapped its long teeth towards Hollen.
Galileo (Battle of the Species) Page 33