Paradisus (Awakened Book 6)

by Harley Austin

  “I guess today is just full of surprises.” She reached out her hand across the table toward him. “Peace?”

  “Peace.” Ty nodded and softly took hold of her hand. As their fingers touched, she gave him the emotional equivalent of a light kiss—right on the lips.

  Surprisingly, Kira felt him return her empathic kiss. “You should be more careful—enchantress,” Ty mocked empathically with a smile via their touch that none of the other empaths at the table could feel. “The Masters and Kir are mortal enemies.”

  “We can kill each other later,” Kira replied, still locked in an empathic kiss with him, their feelings once again flowing together like warm water.

  * * * * *

  Ty and Ethan walked casually along the downtown San Francisco street taking in the sights, getting looks from other people, even an occasional hot whistle.

  “You sure didn’t waste any time moving in on Tanner’s girlfriend.” Ethan bumped Ty’s shoulder. “Attracted much?”

  Ty grinned. “Yea, no kidding. I’m going to have to ask her out.”

  “I thought you already had, the way you two were holding hands. Did you make her come as well while all of us were talking? She looked a little flush a few times.”

  Ty sidestepped his question with a subtle smile. “You’re just jealous because she wasn’t holding your hand the whole time.”

  “Dude, I think you’re going to have to share the Kir; she’s really cute. We could double-date her.”

  “Well—that’s a little progressive, I mean for you.”

  “I think your sick culture is rubbing off on me …”

  Both stopped walking when they felt Tanner jogging up from behind them.

  “Hey, Ty, Ethan, gotta a sec?”

  “Sure, Tanner.”

  “I wanted to apologize again for what happened back as the coffee house. Kira’s been through a lot lately. She’s not generally so jumpy.”

  “I appreciate that Tanner. No harm done,” Ty assured.

  “Ever since we were taken captive by the Imperium fleet, she’s been a lot more careful.”

  Ty looked askance at Tanner. “Imperium fleet? What fleet—?”

  “You don’t know? But, you’re one of the Masters. Interra knows. I thought you would—?”

  Ethan watched Ty shudder subtly.

  “No, I didn’t know. Where is it?”

  “Just outside the edge of the primordial cloud.”

  “The cloud is two light years across, Tanner,” Ty reminded.

  “Oh, yea. Maybe it would be easier to just show you.”

  70

  T he Atlantica moved silently, invisibly, among the icy debris at the edge of the primordial asteroid cloud.

  “Holy Jesus—” Ethan breathed as his eyes fell upon the massive armada for the first time. “How the hell could we not see this?”

  “Ethan, the Oort cloud is astronomically huge. It spreads half way to Alpha Centauri. Jumps make it seem like the distances are close when they’re not. Even as big as this fleet is, no one’s going to see this.” Ty’s eyes moved over the impressive visuals outside their vessel while his mind, empathically linked to the Atlantica, passively counted ships into the millions.

  “Who are they?” Ethan asked.

  “Ra.” Both Ty and Tanner said together.

  “Ra? But, aren’t they the ones the ancients were running from? Why are they here now?”

  “They want Reflex, Ethan.” Ty leaned back in his seat, his fingers covering his mouth and chin in thought.

  Tanner was nodding as well. “I wanted you see what we’re up against, first hand. I told you about Prince Dane. I want us to help him.”

  “Help him?” Ethan began. “Do what?”

  “Keep the Ra from blowing away our world.”

  “Darius isn’t going let a Yin world survive, Tanner. No way in hell. The Masters know him all too well.”

  “Which is why we don’t have a choice,” Tanner defended. “Dane is our only hope at keeping Earth safe.”

  “Safe?” Ty mocked. “Tanner, you’re talking about allying yourself with a Ra High Prince. You do realize that’s like using Lucifer to go after Satan, right?”

  “Dane’s not like that, Ty. Look toward the center of the fleet, you see that artificial plant with the spherical dome?”

  Both Ty and Ethan leaned forward looking. And then both of their danger senses went off suddenly. But Tanner’s well-trained fingers were already on each of their necks delivering an unsuspecting psionic charge of respectable potency. Both men slumped unconscious into their seats.

  “Sorry guys.” Tanner grimaced, moving the ship out of the cloud and then into the fleet while dropping their cloak.

  * * * * *

  Ethan lifted his head from a soft pillow. He looked around to find himself in an expansive ornate room decorated to a level of opulence he’d never dreamed of. Shining stone pillars lined an immense room with purple, black, white and gold draperies. The white draperies seemed to glow, casting a soft light around the room. Was he in Heaven? No, he had a splitting headache. He was pretty sure people didn’t get headaches in Heaven.

  Ethan sat up on the bed, and dropped his forehead into his palm. It only took a few moments before the headache began to wane. “Ooh, Tanner, I’m so going to kick your ass, buddy.”

  “Not before I do.” Ethan heard Ty’s voice. Ethan watched Ty emerge from behind a massive pillar and flowing drapery that bordered a huge concave window. Ty’s clothes were gone, but he was wrapped in a very short, fitted silky-looking and ornately trimmed surround with gold jewelry.

  “What are you wearing?” Ethan asked. “You look like some ancient Egyptian.”

  “It’s traditional Yin clothing. I think this Prince Dane is trying to be hospitable.” Ty handed Ethan his surround from the foot of the long oversized bed. “There’s an invitation on the table over there. He wants to meet with us for dinner.”

  Ethan stood and wrapped himself in the fine cloth. Then tried on the golden bracers and other large pieces. Outside of making him look like a kind of modern pharaoh, it all fit very well.

  “Where’s Tanner?”

  “Where else? Upstairs—with Dane.”

  “Oh?” Ethan reached out with his empathy. He could sense the feelings of the two men—wrapped deeply in an exhilarating intimate exchange. “Oh, Jeeze. Ah, well. I guess now we know why Tanner wanted to come back here so badly. They’re really attracted.”

  “They are. I’m sure this is not the first time worlds have fallen because two people had the hots for each other.”

  “Should I feel bad for watching them?” Ethan asked Ty, his empathy still trained on the two well-steamed lovers in the room several floors above them. He was having a hard time not watching them.

  Ty shrugged. “I’ve been. Tanner’s a little inexperienced, but Dane sure has a few moves.” Then Ty grinned, “—a few moves you and I could jump into later.”

  “Hmm,” Ethan smirked. He walked with Ty to the grand window to watch the fleet as well as the two guys heated up the sheets above them.

  * * * * *

  Ty and Ethan were escorted into a spacious but cozy ornate dining room where Dane and Tanner were already standing and talking with crystalline glasses of some dark drink. A small square table had been set for four. All of them had been elegantly dressed; Dane in Ra clothing with a cape and fine jewelry, while Tanner, Ty and Ethan dressed in their fine, ornate Yin attire.

  Dane set his glass on a hovering tray and went to both men to greet them.

  “Ty, Ethan; welcome. I am—”

  “We know who you are, Dane,” Ty interrupted.

  Dane nodded. “I knew you would be angry.”

  “Oh, you think?” Ethan charged, folding his arms across his chest.

  “I do not want you to be angry or upset with Tanner. Be angry or upset with me instead.”

  “You didn’t do anything, Dane,” Ty retorted, glaring at Tanner who looked away, a frown crossing his fac
e.

  “And neither has Tanner. Except to delay your return to your homeworld.”

  “You’ve taken our ship, no doubt. And with it the knowledge of Reflex.”

  Dane nodded. “Indeed. My mission here is accomplished, more than accomplished. With your vessel’s knowledge and Tanner at my side, I will become more powerful than even my father ever imagined.”

  “Then the Ra have won.” Ty’s brow narrowed at Tanner. “Earth is doomed.”

  “That is but one unfortunate end, Ty. Yes. My father would never allow the inhabitants of the Earth to survive.”

  Ty’s gaze met Dane’s. “What do you mean by ‘one’ unfortunate end?”

  “Ty, Ethan, sit with us in peace while we have dinner and let me offer you an explanation. But promise me you’ll both be civil. Please.”

  Both Ty and Ethan nodded.

  Tanner gave them both nods as they sat. None of them spoke as wondrously smelling foods were brought to their table and their plates and drink glasses filled. Oddly none of the foods were meat. Dane had obviously gone out of his way to provide some familiar dishes along with some that neither Ethan nor Ty had ever seen before.

  Dane lifted his glass elegantly. “To peace. And to friendship.”

  “I can toast to that,” Ty agreed.

  All of them touched glasses.

  “As I attempted to explain to the Kir who were here several months ago, Ty, Ethan, your world presents me with a terrible conundrum. It harbors not only the secrets to Reflex, but also, it is the homeworld of yourselves, the Yin. The ancient psionic warriors.”

  Dane retold the story of the Yin to Ty and Ethan and how it seemed miraculous that the Yin had been reborn within their race.

  “Dane, it sounds as if you want to bring back the Yin?” Ethan asked. He looked at Tanner who was nodding.

  “Completely.” Dane assured. “Irrevocably.”

  “Even after your father destroyed them?” Ty was impressed with Dane’s daring.

  “Ty, with the Yin living among us, the Ra were a benevolent influence throughout the galaxy. Corruption was swiftly dealt with. My father is an evil man. His goals are nothing but to secure the spread his own power at whatever the cost. The Imperium and the culture of our people have suffered under his rule long enough. It will take eons to repair and heal the damage done by his regime. Earth not only harbors a spark of the ancient culture of the Ra Masters, but the means to achieve the restoration of our people as well. It is the seed that can replant and restore our once glorious and benevolent race.”

  “And what if you fail to overthrow your father?” Ty asked.

  “You said it yourself, Ty,” Dane began. “The Earth is doomed. Even if I were to return your vessel and send you back home, all you will have accomplished is delaying the inevitable. At some point, my father will consider my efforts here a failure and replace me with one or more of my brothers. In fact, that may already be happening. Three other princes are on their way here from the Imperium.”

  “That’s a bit of suspicious timing,” Ethan raised an eyebrow.

  “The princes all have spies, gentlemen. I’m sure they have received some kind of word that I am close to succeeding in my mission. They want to horn in on its success to achieve a little glory for themselves in my father’s eyes.”

  “Or he wants to make sure you’re not trying to double-cross him,” Ty offered.

  “There is no telling what my father knows at this point, gentlemen. But I will assure you of this—with three Yin at my side and the power of Reflex in my grasp, your world will not only survive, but I promise you, I will rebuild the Yin and in so doing, restore honor and glory to the House of Ra.”

  71

  E than walked with Ty through the palace as evening was falling. Dane had evidently made it well known that the two of them were staying within the palace. The two of them gods in the eyes of the Ra. Wherever they wandered within the massive palace, everyone bowed slightly as they passed; even the palace guard bowed and did not attempt to stop them anywhere they wandered within the tall spire.

  “So?” Ethan asked Ty empathically.

  “Yea.” Ty breathed a sigh.

  “What do you think?”

  “It’s a sick plan—I mean, it’s ambitious.” Ty offered.

  “Is it too ambitious?”

  “You mean are we doomed from the outset?”

  “I guess we’re already doomed, Ty. It’s only a matter of time before the Romans breach the walls of our Masada. Only they won’t be taking any prisoners, they’ll just blow the whole world into oblivion. Even if they don’t get Reflex. The Reborn represent too much of a threat to the Emperor.”

  Ty agreed, frowning.

  “Ethan, I need to tell you something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “There’s more to our vessel than just Reflex. She’s not just Fifth Era. She’s Sixth.”

  “Okay.”

  “I know you don’t really know what that means at this point, but—my family—we’re remnant Masters, Ethan.”

  “I sort of figured that, Ty.”

  “From what Kira said?”

  “Hello? I am dating Thea. I know who she is—and you.”

  Ty nodded. “We can trace our family lineage all the way back to the Imperium. I have always known about the true history of our people and where we came from. It’s a secret my family has carried for over two hundred millennia. My parents knew Sen and Arica Steele; Rion’s own parents. Both families stood on the shores of Ra long ago. I’m not sure that Rion even knows the history of his own family.”

  “Then you already know about this emperor.”

  “Yea. Darius. His evil is legendary within the annals of the Ra and the Masters.”

  “So what does it mean to be Sixth Era?”

  “The Masters didn’t just discover Reflex, Ethan. We refined it. Took it to something that was more than just science. It became our art. Long ago we could see what were becoming by having children with the Humans. So we merged Reflex, made it seamless with the ability of the Yin whom we were becoming.”

  “Like the empathic interfaces, sure.”

  “It’s more than just interfaces, Ethan. We knew the war would decimate our people, but we looked ahead to a time when the Reborn would begin to genetically appear, not just with empathic senses, but real psionic ability. So, long ago we began building something the Yin had never possessed—psionic weaponry—built on the foundations of Reflex. There’s more than just the knowledge of Reflex aboard our ship.”

  “So, your pistol?”

  “It’s a psionic weapon, Ethan. You saw what it could do when those agents attacked us back in your apartment. The body suit I showed you that was in my duffle. It’s psionic armor. Like nothing the Universe has ever seen.”

  Ethan nodded.

  “Now imagine what something the size of our vessel could do.”

  “Do you think we could win? I mean, actually overthrowing the Emperor?”

  “I do. But, it also depends on what Dane’s plan is. The Atlantica is unique; one-of-a-kind. I’m not taking our ship into a suicide mission, that’s for damn sure.”

  “I hear you.”

  * * * * *

  A fine orchard just outside of the tall city was being tended by one of the human families as Brenda walked past them along an unpaved road. She waved at them with a smile. The family likely didn’t know who she was, but the vessel and its people had already taken on a kind of small town friendly atmosphere. She wandered deeper into the orchard along the road and away from the prying eyes of anyone else nearby. She’d already sensed his presence; it was why she’d come out here in the first place. She watched him set a bushel of apples into a new buckboard wagon. His shirt was half wet with sweat as he strained the basket of ripe fruit onto the bed of the wooden carriage. He smiled at her with kind eyes as she approached.

  “Aren’t you a little old to be picking apples?”

  “Only as old as you feel,” the old Texan
drawled.

  “It’s been a while, Henry.” She smiled.

  “How are you, Princess?”

  “Worried, mostly. How about you?” Brenda leaned onto the wagon.

  “I keep busy. Mostly helping out the youngins.”

  “Still pretending to be a Southerner, I see? You know it’s just the two of us out here.”

  The old, overweight and half balding man suddenly shimmered with a soft light. The next moment Brenda was looking at the real visage of the handsomely built, tanned skinned immortal with his longer thick wavy dark brown hair and handsome dimpled pearl-white perfect smile. “Is this better?” he asked in his soft, smoothly masculine voice that had lost it’s Southern accent and was now elegantly all Ra.

  Brenda took a deep breath. Henry’s scent was heavenly. “Hmm. I like you better without the shirt.”

  “You, gorgeous, are impossible.” Henry unbuttoned his shirt, slipped it off and draped it over the side of the buckboard.

  Brenda was always impressed with his sculpted brawn. Henry in his natural form was a sight to behold.

  “Better?” he asked.

  She nodded and then took hold of his well-defined muscular arm as the two of them walked together, arm-in-arm, through the orchard.

  “You’re worried about them,” he placed his hand over hers, his soft melodic voice the epitome of Ra aristocracy.

  “Always. They’re all so young.”

  “You can’t live their lives for them, Princess.”

  “What if they—”

  “Brenda,” Henry stopped. He placed his hand on her face.

  She frowned worriedly, looking into his eyes.

  “We can’t. They have to make their own ways.”

  “The Imperium is a dangerous place, Henry.”

  “The Universe is a dangerous place. We knew this day would come. We’ve done all we can to prepare them.”

  “Have we?”

  “If we do too much, they’ll never learn to survive on their own. We won’t be here forever.”

  “I know.”

  “You worry too much about them.” He smiled.