by Dana Kelly
“Thank you,” said Orin, and he grinned. “You’ve been a great teacher.”
“I’ve already received my crew’s assessment of you, Agent Fiero,” said Casey, and she shared a hopeful smile with April. “You’ve only shown the utmost in goodwill and professionalism. This question is really a formality, but I have to ask it for the record. Will you disavow Admiral Schurke and all his plans, foreswearing him in every way?”
“Sure,” said Lafuega. “He’s a two-faced scumbag murderer.”
“I need a yes or no,” said Casey.
“Yes,” said Lafuega. “Screw that guy.”
Casey stood up and smiled. “I see no reason why we can’t trust you. Will you take the Interstellar Police Force deputy’s oath? If you say yes, you’ll be joining us as a member of my contracted law enforcement team. All charges against you will be immediately suspended until such time as statutes of limitations expire, or until you cease to serve in a recognized law enforcement capacity, whichever comes first.”
“Sure,” said Lafuega. “I mean yes.”
Casey guided Lafuega through the oath and removed her disruption collar after it was over. “Welcome to Orion Force, Deputy Fiero,” said Casey, and she offered her hand.
Lafuega shook vigorously. “Glad to be part of the team!”
◆◆◆
The sun shone high overhead as Eridani’s Starwind rested atop a New York rooftop tarmac. Thick white clouds drifted across a bright blue sky. Gentle breezes rustled hundreds of world flags as they ringed a manicured courtyard. Empty food carts and shuttered coffee kiosks dotted the perimeter of a dozen government buildings.
April and Orin sat on one side of a wide stone bench that faced a dancing fountain. They shared the bench with a gray-coated ocelini woman who wore a Russian starfighter pilot’s uniform. Her name tape showed, “KOSHKA.” Quietly, she ate her lunch.
“Congrats on passing your Spacer’s Exam,” said April.
“It took me a couple tries,” said Orin.
She regarded him reassuringly. “Virtually no one passes it on the first try. In fact, I personally only know one person who did.”
“Let me guess…” He regarded her playfully. “You?”
April sounded happy. “Definitely not! That honor belongs to Cajun. It took me three tries to pass mine. I didn’t know it at the time, but if you fail it twice in a row, they make you wait a month to take it again.” She smiled wistfully. “That’s how I ended up flying with Casey. If I’d have passed my exam on either of the first two tries, I’d have been hired aboard the N.S. Hellhound. It was perfect timing that Casey reached out to me when she did, or I’d have ended up a drifter.”
“Yeah, about that,” said Orin. “There’s something I’ve been dying to tell you about her, but Casey swore me to secrecy.”
She rested her hand gently upon his forearm. “It’s okay, Orin. I already know. I sensed what she was planning when we met at the restaurant on Mars.”
He looked surprised. “You’ve been playing along this whole time?”
April gazed upon the fountain. “I didn’t know where things were going at first. By the time I realized I was safe, I was in way too deep to come clean without risking our friendship.”
“I think you could talk to her about it,” said Orin. “I think she’s ready.”
“I suppose I could, but what’s the point?” asked April. “She’s not really my cousin. I don’t know what she is. When I read her… Well, it’s difficult to explain it.” She glanced his way. “Normally, I perceive other people’s mindscapes like I’m walking through a museum. Depending on how recent or significant they are, their memories range from impressionist paintings to video panels. It’s all instantly recognizable for what it’s meant to be. Casey’s thoughts are more like… a big bowl of writhing, neon calamari.”
Orin winced. “That sounds very alien.”
“It is,” said April. “She looks like she’s human, but she’s not even close.”
“Well, one thing’s for sure,” said Orin. “Whatever else she is, Casey’s your friend. She loves you like a big sister.”
April sighed. “I suppose that counts for something.”
A quiet moment passed, and Orin looked upward. “It’s weird. There’s not a car in the sky.”
“Air traffic is grounded right now,” said the pilot. “I’m Sini. Sini Koshka, second lieutenant with Russian Star Command,” and they exchanged introductions. “Colonial is evacuating the planet. All non-essential air traffic is grounded until they’re done.” She bit down into a kielbasa sandwich.
“Colonial?” asked April. “There’s no way they can possibly evacuate everyone in time! Even if their entire fleet were here, they’d only be able to save a few million people. What about everyone else? What happens to them?”
Sini took a long pull on a bottle of green soda. “Probably, they have been moved to underground shelters. This is not really my area of expertise.” She regarded her bench mates. “Why are you not somewhere safe?”
“We’re needed on the surface,” said Orin.
“You are first responders?” asked Sini.
“We are not,” said Orin.
“If you do not have an assigned shelter, you should see about getting passage aboard an Atlas vessel.” Sini took another bite of her sandwich. “If you’re above the surface when bombardment begins, you will die.”
“We’re aware,” said April. “We’re with the Falcon attachment.”
Sini wore a look of mild disapproval. “Neschastny. This word means ‘unfortunate’ in Russian.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” said April.
“It’s okay,” said Sini, and she smiled. “Apology accepted.”
April rolled her eyes, and Orin winced as she leaned against him. “You’re hurt!”
“It’s just lingering aches and pains from battling Old One-Eye,” said Orin, and he shifted slightly. “April, those spheres will be here tomorrow.”
“Are you ready?”
Orin shrugged. “Probably not. I’m meeting with BICOM tonight to get briefed in.”
She squeezed his hand. “I believe in you.”
“You mentioned BICOM,” said Sini. “I am part of their air support strategy.” Her look of curiosity turned to recognition. “Rhyondan Rampart. You are Rhyondan Rampart!”
Orin smiled patiently. “Maybe I just have one of those faces.”
“No, you are him!” Sini retrieved her phone. “Can we?”
“Sure,” said Orin, and he towered over Sini as he posed with her for a snapshot.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Rampart,” said Sini. “Tomorrow when the bombardment starts, if you can’t save all of Earth, it will still be okay if you can save Mother Russia.”
“Right.” Orin’s voice cracked slightly as he spoke. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure the planet is safe.”
April glanced up and spotted a small crowd approaching, their attention fixed on Orin. “That’s uncanny,” she muttered. “It’s like they can smell blood in the water.”
“Sometimes I really wish I could shapeshift,” grumbled Orin. “Feel like getting out of here?”
“Normally, I’d share your enthusiasm for a timely departure, but the Starwind is on the other side of your fan club,” said April.
“It’s okay, we can take a shortcut,” said Orin. “I’ve been working on something in my off time.”
April perked up. “What have you been working on?”
Orin spoke in a whisper. “Falling in a specific direction. Onlookers might mistake it for flying.”
“Can you show me?” asked April. “Can you take me with you?”
“I can, but people will talk,” said Orin.
April smiled giddily. “It’s what people do.”
Rising to his feet, Orin stretched and squatted in front of the bench. “Hop on.”
April secured herself piggy-back against Orin.
“What are you doing?” asked Sini.
Sini regarded him questioningly. “I’m Russian. What do you think?”
“Here it is,” said Orin. He and April shot skyward.
Sini stared, mouth agape. As the small crowd looked on with undisguised wonder, the rest of Sini’s sandwich tumbled out of her lap.
◆◆◆
By early evening, several large military vehicles had assembled within an open field. BICOM established a command center, joined by representatives from Orbital Defense and the Star Navy. A black Humvee picked Orin up from his hotel.
He arrived at the field soon after, where two BICOM agents escorted him to the command center. “Welcome, IPF Deputy Webb,” said a sharply dressed man as he stood up. “I’m Commander Richards.” He gestured to a uniformed man seated next to him. “This is Special Agent Gray Bachman, also known as Boost Congress. We’ve seized the global satellite network and will be working through the night to assemble an amplification uplink dish. He’ll boost your power, and you’ll channel your anti-momentum barriers directly into the dish. SATCOM will deliver targeted interceptions against the enemy.”
Gray stood up, showed his badge, and bowed politely. “It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Mr. Webb.”
“You too,” said Orin, and he bowed in return.
Commander Richards explained the details of the plan and gave Orin a tour of the command center. “This must be a lot to take in,” said Commander Richards. “I’ve been apprised of your binary incidents, and I understand you received very basic training. Do you have at least a rough idea of how much energy you’ve got in your reserves?”
“I don’t really start to feel it until I’m getting low,” said Orin. “It grows each time I run out, though, and Lafuega’s been running me ragged.”
“I’m sorry, who’s Lafuega?”
Orin related his training sessions. “Oh yeah, but I used my powers to fly April and me away from the courtyard,” said Orin. “If I can get a good night’s rest, I should have a ton of energy in reserve.”
Commander Richards stopped and held up his hand. “I’m impressed you figured out how to fly on your own. Even more impressive is that you figured out how to land without injuring yourself or your passenger. That being said…” He locked eyes with Orin. “If you pull another stunt like that, it could mean one of those spheres will impact when it otherwise would not have. Conserve your power. Am I clear?”
“Crystal,” said Orin.
“Good,” said Commander Richards, and he grinned. “Now, over there is the triage center, and that’s the BX tent. You ever tried calvarmi jerky? Because it is tender, it tastes good, and they sell it duty free. Plus, it goes great with coffee.”
“I’m more of a hot choc—”
“Not to worry, I’ll spring for it this time,” said Commander Richards. “You find us a place to sit.”
Orin smiled slightly. “Sure. Thanks.”
Commander Richards approached the Star Navy’s base-exchange pavilion, and Orin found a small table with a few empty chairs nearby. His mind raced, and as he sat down to wait, Orin felt a familiar energy resonating deep within him. It’s her, he thought, and the evening breeze ruffled his hair. Ellylle’s close by!
Chapter 37
Truth in Shadows
A black Humvee pulled up to the curb, and a robot valet approached. Inside the vehicle, Orin shook hands with Commander Richards. “Thanks for the ride,” said Orin. “See you tomorrow morning.”
“Be sure to get enough rest,” said Commander Richards.
“I will,” said Orin.
The valet opened the door, and Orin stepped out. After a moment, the Humvee pulled away, and Orin glanced around. “Excuse me,” he said, catching the valet’s attention. “I know it’s getting late, but is there someplace around here I can do some clothes shopping?”
“Most everything is closed, due to the evacuation. However, the gift shop is manned by a synthetic servant,” said the valet. Its voice sounded calm, and it ended each of its sentences with a sigh. “To find the gift shop, simply head through the entrance and look right. You will find the gift shop between the check-in desk and the elevators.”
“Thanks,” said Orin. He patted the valet’s metallic shoulder and stepped into the hotel lobby. After doing a bit of shopping, he approached the register and readied his gene key.
“Will that be all?” asked the cashier. He stood tall, with a strong build and a shaved head.
“I hope so,” said Orin. “Hey, I don’t mean to pry, but shouldn’t you be in an underground shelter by now?”
“Synthetic servants will not be evacuated. Due to the limited space available, all natural beings take priority,” said the cashier. “If any extra rooms become available, servants that specialize in caregiving and groundskeeping may be selected by shelter managers on a case-by-case basis.”
Orin looked angry. “So, if Earth gets hit—”
“We will perish,” said the cashier. “Yes sir. Will that be all?”
“Yeah,” said Orin, and he completed the transaction. “That’s messed up.”
The cashier smiled sadly. “Thank you for choosing the gift shop. I sincerely hope it met all your shopping needs. It was my honor to serve you.”
Orin nodded. “Right.” He waved as he exited and crossed the lobby. A moment later, he boarded one of the elevators and went up to his room.
Seated on the bed, he took off his boots and his orange jacket, changing into a light gray hoodie and a pair of colorful athletic shoes. He pulled his hood up over his head. Taking a deep breath, Orin closed his eyes and focused on Ellylle’s energy. Slowly, he stood up and turned until the connection felt its strongest, and he opened his eyes. “Southeast.”
As he headed for the door, he heard a knock and found April standing in the hall. “Orin, are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Why?”
“I’m getting echoes of your thoughts from somewhere,” said April. “It feels like they’re being broadcast directly to me.”
She stepped inside, and he closed the door. “I think it’s Ellylle,” said Orin. “Whatever connection she forged between us must be the source of the echoes. She’s here, somewhere to the southeast, and very close by. I think she arrived tonight.”
“What could she possibly want?”
Orin shook his head. “I have no clue. I hope she knows what’s at stake.”
April noticed his attire. “Why are you dressed like that?”
“I’m trying to keep a low profile,” said Orin. “The streets aren’t exactly crowded right now, but I’d still rather not get stopped by anyone until I find her.”
“You’re going out to see Ellylle,” said April.
“I hope so,” said Orin. “My guess is she’s using a park to blend in. According to a map of the area, Queensbridge Park is directly southeast of here, across the East River. That’ll be the first place I look. Then there’s a couple cemeteries and Elmhurst park after that, but I have a good feeling about Queensbridge.”
“Mind if I tag along?” asked April.
Orin smiled. “That’d be awesome.”
“We should let Casey know what we’re up to,” said April.
“Yeah, I guess so,” said Orin. “I kind of didn’t want to get everyone involved, though.”
April regarded him curiously. “You projected to her in your dreams, she left you for dead in your room, and witnesses report seeing a beocrann that matched her description receiving a shipment from the Caretakers when they appeared on Trionides. Forgive me, but this seems like precisely the sort of meeting everyone should be involved in.”
“You’re right,” said Orin. “I’m not sure what I was thinking.”
“You share a strong connection with her. She claimed to be as powerful as you are,” said April. “If your thoughts are ricocheting simply because she’s close, it’s likely she’s right about her power level, and that must be very intoxicating.”
Orin looke
d uneasy. “Then maybe you shouldn’t go. Maybe everyone should stay here. If she’s as powerful as I am, she could kill you without even trying.”
“I doubt you’d allow that,” said April.
“If she’s mastered her powers, I may not have a choice.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” said April. “Perhaps we will be in danger, but I’d rather face it together than risk you dying alone.”
“All right,” said Orin. “Let’s rally the team.”
Before long, Nimbus, Torsha, Mike, Shona, Malmoradan, and Casey joined them in the hall. “Where’s Lafuega?” asked Orin.
“She’s passed out,” said Shona. “I’m not sure how keen Ellylle’s going to be on a hanging out with a pyro-kinetic anyway, so maybe it’s good luck I couldn’t wake her up.”
“That’s a very good point,” said Mike.
“Are we ready then?” asked Torsha.
“Looks like we are,” said Casey. “Let’s go.”
They exited the hotel together and made their way to the lobby. Stepping out onto the streets, they followed the signs to the nearest subway entrance and descended belowground to stand within an otherwise deserted station. In time the train pulled up, the doors slid aside, and they boarded. Old smells mixed with the scent of solvents, and they settled down on the orange and yellow plastic chairs that lined the train walls.
Slowly, the train pulled away, and Orin watched the lights pass by faster and faster until they went dark. Dim interior lights shone from overhead, and April leaned against his shoulder. They talked amongst themselves as they traveled.
In time, they crossed the bridge and assembled at the far end.
“The park’s right over there,” said Orin. “If she is in there somewhere, you’ll be a lot safer waiting here where she can’t see you. On the other hand, if she decides to attack me, you’d also be close enough to take action.”