by S. E. Weir
“You can’t come with me. No one is going to die.”
Drk-vaen clicked his mandibles but didn’t get a chance to speak. He was pushed inside by Sis’tael, who then stepped around him.
Head held high, Sis’tael hissed in anger at Phina. “You are not going by yourself. I think we all are agreed on that. The energy pull doesn’t have the same effect on us as it does on you soft humans.”
She nodded at Braeden, who turned a reproachful eye on the female. “And Gleeks and Aurians. Our hard exoskeletons protect us from the effects. We talked it over with ADAM and Stark, and they agree it shouldn’t affect us nearly as much.”
Phina frowned. “But the effects aren’t gone, and that means you could still die.”
“So could you,” the Yollin pointed out in turn, her arms folded across her chest. “You can’t tell me it won’t affect you because you would be lying, and friends don’t do that to each other.”
Phina started to protest again when Braeden put his hand over her wrist, stopping her mid-sentence.
“Phina, you want to protect your friends, and that’s admirable. You aren’t considering that by trying to protect them, you are preventing them from doing their job as well as doing their best to protect you in return. It can’t be just one way. Relationships don’t work like that.”
Phina looked into his gentle eyes. “Is that what I’m doing?”
Yes. Braeden’s voice spoke in her mind, and Drk-vaen and Sis’tael nodded.
She met Link’s gaze next. It usually bordered on arrogance, but now it was soft with concern. He nodded as he spoke. “You’re trying to control your relationships, my dear, so they are on your terms. I recognize the signs because I have tried to do the same thing. It doesn’t work. Relationships can’t be controlled and remain intact. They need to be accepted, felt, engaged in, and appreciated, but never controlled.”
Stunned, Phina closed her eyes and dropped her head. Had she been trying to control her relationships? Not one to shirk facing herself when it was pointed out, Phina examined her past actions and what had driven them. She had to admit there was something to what they were saying.
Fudging crumbs.
It had gotten worse with the aggression and the heightened and tense emotions she’d felt after the changes had begun in her body. She had felt so out of control that she wanted to control something.
Anything.
Phina’s shoulders dropped as she sighed.
“All right. The three of us will go.”
“They can go without you. You don’t need to subject yourself to that. I know it’s painful for you.”
Link’s eyes flicked to Braeden and back to her, willing her to agree. Phina smiled wryly. “You can’t have it both ways, old man. There will probably be coding I need to decipher.”
His eyes acknowledged she was right, but she could tell he didn’t like it. Too bad. “Again with the respect.”
“I respect you just fine. It’s your attitude that needs work.”
His dark expression caused her to throw him a grin while his muttered curses cheered her right up.
Etheric Empire, Planet Lyriem, Pod
Sis’tael’s armor-clad body sparked with excitement and concern. Mostly concern. Her clawed feet gently tapped a rhythm as her fingers played with the indents on the paneling on either side of her while her head swiveled, taking everything in.
Phina sat up ahead, reading the displays in the front of the Pod. Drk-vaen sat behind Sis’tael. The two were engrossed in their thoughts, leaving Sis’tael to ponder her own. She wondered what they would find when they reached the location.
“I can’t believe this.”
Phina’s muttered words drew Sis’tael’s attention. She craned her head to see what had caused the comment but couldn’t view anything around her friend’s head.
“Can’t believe what?”
Phina absently ran her fingers through her hair, snagging on the braid. She pulled her fingers out and smoothed her hair, but the loosened strands still stuck out, giving her a disheveled and absent-minded look.
“I can’t believe how much life on this planet was destroyed. It all withered and died, the life sucked out of it. Look at it! The Gleeks’ planet is brown and dusty, but there are areas that are cultivated for farming. Even the Baldere’s stark planet has more life than this one. The destruction is mind-boggling!”
Sis’tael put her hand on her friend’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “Are you all right, Phina? It isn’t your planet.”
Phina’s head bobbed up, startled. “No, but I feel responsible for helping them. They need it, and I think I can help, so I have to do so. Tell me you can’t look at this destroyed planet, knowing thousands of Aurians have died, and not feel the need to do something.”
Sis’tael leaned forward to view the screen that showed the scans of the terrain below. Just as Phina had said, the planet looked dry, dusty, almost brittle. Thinking about those thousands of Aurian bodies lying around that had shriveled up into dry, brittle skin and bones made her cringe.
“I get what you mean, at least a little.”
“It’s awful,” Phina whispered and glanced at the display sharply. “I think we’ve found the epicenter of all this.”
Drk-vaen placed a comforting hand on Sis’tael’s shoulder. “Where, Phina?”
“Down there in the foothills of those mountains.”
Sis’tael looked but couldn’t see anything until they drew close enough for the mountain to fill the whole screen. To her mind, it was an empty, barren, cold place of doom.
“Damn it. We’re going under that, aren’t we?”
“Yes. We’re going under the mountain.”
Etheric Empire, Orbit around Planet Lyriem, QBS Stark
Link stalked down the corridor of the ship, steps determined, mind on nothing related to the people on board. What had made him think taking on a trainee was a good idea? It was a horrible idea. Now, instead of coolly going through his self-imposed assignments and pushing and poking other people’s buttons, he was involved with crazy diplomatic machinations, weird alien shenanigans and intrigue, and a future replacement he had somehow lost all control of.
When the hell had that one happened?
When he reached the end of the corridor and turned on his heel, he couldn’t help comparing and contrasting current events with those of even a year ago. After several minutes of pacing, he had to face facts. Greyson Wells, diplomatic superstar and spy extraordinaire, had been bored out of his mind back then.
Well, he wasn’t bored now.
“Greyson Wells, stop wearing a track through the deck!”
Link jerked to a halt as Addison Stone came up the corridor behind him. The scowl he turned on her didn’t faze the woman. Damn it, no one on this ship showed him any respect.
“What do you want?”
The look she gave him was withering. “I don’t want anything from you. However, I need you to calm down.”
Link stared at her. “You want me to calm down.”
Addison upped the intensity of her gaze to scalding. “Weren’t you listening? I said need, not want. Pay attention, man!”
He drew himself up, nearly crossing his eyes as he stared down his nose at her. “I assure you, I pay very close attention.”
She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “Then listen up, buttercup. You need to find something else to focus on before you stress yourself out or drive yourself crazy.”
Link paused. He wouldn’t acknowledge that the woman had a point.
“Are you offering me a suggestion?”
Link spoke in a congenial tone, but Addison looked wary all of a sudden. What bee had gotten into her bonnet?
“I wasn’t referring to physical gymnastics if that’s what you were asking.”
He gaped, then spluttered, “What? Why would you… I would never suggest such a thing.”
Addison’s mouth twisted wryly. “Of course not.” She started to move away. “And
stop that stupid pacing! It’s getting on my nerves!”
Like the woman had any room to talk! He continued pacing, though he added a circuit through the cargo hold for variety. His pent-up energy had to go somewhere. The others were busy helping the Aurians board the support ships that had finally shown up, and the ones who weren’t occupied shied away from him. Pacing was the only thing he could do while he waited for his recalcitrant mentee.
No, he wasn’t bored now.
If Link didn’t know better, he would admit he was scared to death.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Etheric Empire, Planet Lyriem
Phina paced forward, holding up her tablet for Stark to scan her surroundings more easily. The caverns inside these mountains were really amazing. Every step gave her a new view of the most fascinating hued rocks and crystals she had ever seen. Of course, it also brought her step by inevitable step closer to the alien machine set in place by a madman.
That was a sobering thought.
She pushed the unwanted reminder to the side where she didn’t need to think about it too hard, on par with liverwurst and annoying brothers.
“Are we there yet?”
“No, Stark.”
“You’re right. Scans show a larger cavern directly ahead.”
“There you go then. You didn’t need me.” Something glinted in the corner of her eye. Phina turned to shine the light on her helmet to her right. The display caused her to stop, open-mouthed in astonishment, while Stark kept talking.
Glittering jeweled crystals of varying hues and tones encrusted the rock walls and ceiling of the cavern. The largest of the crystals were cloudy spears that cleared toward the top. These were raw diamonds and gemstones of all types in this one cavern, if she had to guess. Her brain stopped working for a moment.
“See, that’s what I’ve learned. Jokes and teasing don’t work unless you involve someone else. So yes, I did need you.”
Phina shook her head to clear it and moved forward as the Yollins stepped up behind her.
“Hey, Stark?”
“Yes, GG?”
“Could you mark this cavern on my right? It’s important. It needs to be explored later.”
“I can do that. Pick a numeric value between 7 and 9 and multiply by a factor of 262, and that’s roughly how many tasks I can handle at one time. One is nothing. It’s boring.”
Phina rolled her eyes, pushed aside the bejeweled cavern for later consideration, and concentrated on recalling his previous comment as well as putting her feet in front of each other.
“So, you needed me to be the butt of the joke?”
“No, I needed you to be the recipient of the joke and a witness to its manifestation. If there is no witness, is there a joke?”
“Is this your version of ‘if a tree falls in an empty forest, can anyone hear it?’”
“That was not my intention, but I can give you mathematical equations, laws of physics, and an exegetical and philosophical argument if you want the answer.”
“Thank you, Stark. Maybe some other time.”
“Really? When?”
“Sometime when I’m not exploring a creepy dark cave looking for a machine that kills people.”
The cavern had narrowed, its walls now a few steps to either side of her. Phina sensed something ahead that felt heavy in her mind. She had been feeling that strange weight for some time, she realized; she had just ignored it, thinking it was the caves.
Since she had slowed down, her Yollin friends caught up.
“Does it feel strange in here to you?”
Sis’tael’s voice seemed to come out of nowhere, making Phina start. “It does.”
Drk-vaen stopped next to her. All three of them had halted without realizing it. That was alarming.
“I’m feeling an unusual sense of tiredness. Is it just me?”
Phina assessed her mind and body. “It’s not just you, Drk. We need to keep moving.”
“It’s that machine, isn’t it?”
“Yup.” Phina didn’t know what else to say. They needed to get this done quickly. No more playing around.
The trio began moving rapidly, but after a while, Phina realized they had slowed down. Step by step, she forced herself to keep moving forward. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, every step forward became a slog and a contest of will. Her focus narrowed to that one thought.
By the time the cavern opened into another one, Phina had almost forgotten why they were there. Even if she hadn’t, what she saw would have shocked their mission out of her mind.
The great cavern in front of her stretched into the distance. In the middle of the rocky cavern lay…a paradise. Phina alternately blinked and squeezed her eyes shut a few times, but the verdant natural wonder remained the same. Having a goal made it easier to continue her unsteady pace forward.
When she was steps away, Phina raised her hand, eyes on the shimmering air in front of her. She didn’t understand that she had stopped until she realized her hand wouldn’t go any farther. No, not just wouldn’t, but couldn’t. Something had stopped the motion.
Bringing her hand back, Phina felt detached from herself, as if she were viewing her actions from a distance. An alarm blared in the back of her brain, but the mystery in front of her was so interesting that it was easily shoved to the side. She brought her hand back and thrust it forward several times, trying to find a way through the barrier. She forgot what she was doing there, only remembering that she had to keep going.
As her motions grew more frantic, Phina realized applying greater force allowed her to move her hand farther. Force. Greater force. Testing one more time, her hand moved even farther. Her thoughts were consumed by the action. By the time she knew what she had to do, she had forgotten her own name.
Forcing herself to back up was the hardest thing she had ever done. She thought it was, anyway. She couldn’t remember. After she had gone back as far as she believed she needed to, muffled shouts registered. Irritably clawing a hand to the side to get the annoying buzz to stop, the young woman focused again on that mesmerizing barrier in front of her. What was she doing again?
Right.
Entering paradise.
She shook her head to make the buzzing noises go away. She knew how to get to paradise, and she was going to do it.
She knew she had to be quick and couldn’t hesitate.
With a final gasp, she thrust herself forward with every last iota of will and focus. She was going to make it. The shouts grew louder, but she didn’t stop or even hesitate. She did what she had to do. With only a few feet left, she pushed forward and, twisting in the air to gain momentum, she dove bladed-hands-first like a diver into water.
Phina lost momentum when she hit the barrier, but her move allowed her body to pass through. When she felt no resistance, she sank to the ground and fell into a black well of unconsciousness.
But she had made it. She had reached paradise.
So this was what dying felt like.
Drk-vaen had had a bad feeling about the plan from the beginning. He just wished he had been able to think of something to do to change it.
The truth was that until they knew what they were dealing with, their hands were tied. They needed more information, and without someone on the ground, they had no way of knowing what had to be done. So, he’d said nothing.
Which he was now bitterly regretting.
When the walls opened to show a vibrant green forest in the middle of a cavern with some sort of forcefield around it, Drk-vaen realized they were in big trouble.
“Holy hell.” Sis’tael spoke softly, awestruck as she took it in.
Clicking his mandibles, he turned to his love in amusement. “Holy hell?”
She chittered nervously for a moment, the sound dying as her attention went back to the patch of green in front of them. “It seemed to fit.”
Drk-vaen looked at the life kept within the barrier surrounding it, lying inside a dry, dusty cavern littered with the mum
mified remains of various small creatures on a planet that was dying inch by inch. His amusement faded. “Yeah, it does.”
Sis’tael gasped. “Look at Phina!”
Swinging his head around, Drk-vaen realized Phina had rested her hand on the barrier. As the Yollins watched, she poked the thing with varying amounts of force. She had to have some method to her madness, right?
“Phina, are you sure that’s safe?”
Their friend’s silence was concerning.
“What’s wrong?” a new voice asked.
Drk-vaen shook his head. “Stark, we don’t know. Phina seems to be in a waking trance. She’s moving, but she’s not responding to us, and we don’t know what’s going on.”
“Give me a minute.”
The large Yollin glanced at the female who gave him their version of a shrug, then turned back to her friend. Drk-vaen sighed and rubbed the back of his hard, bony head. This trip hadn’t turned out anything like they were expecting. What was that human phrase? “The best-laid plans of rats and men?” He pondered that while they waited and wondered if humans considered the rats to be as intelligent as humans since they were included in the saying.
Stark’s voice broke the tension.
“Wells says to abort. Bring Phina even if you have to carry her and come back to the ship.”
The Yollins exchanged glances. Sis’tael looked troubled. “I am not sure that’s the best decision. Phina needs to get this done. She’s going to be upset if we do anything to mess her up if she knows what she’s doing.”
Drk-vaen watched Phina as she began to shuffle backward. “That is something to consider. Maybe we should try to get her attention and see if she responds.”
They moved toward her, yelling and trying every way they knew to get her attention short of grabbing her. Finally, Phina stopped and stood still, her gaze on the barrier.
Drk-vaen and Sis’tael halted when they saw Phina’s face twist into a grimace while her left hand came up in a clawing motion. After the echoes had died down, Phina’s face gave a twitch of satisfaction before all expression fell away.