by Amy DuBoff
“It certainly is when you have exactly the right leverage.”
“What do you think your grandfather has planned?” Ryan asked, concern creeping into his voice.
“Well, we did just launch the assault on the destroyer, so getting a pass on that will be handy,” Raena replied. “But beyond that, we have no way of knowing what kind of final stand the Priesthood might take—this means we can defend ourselves. Now that we’re married and you’re a Dynastic Head, we can’t technically be in the TSS anymore.”
“This all happened so fast, I hadn’t even thought about that,” Ryan admitted.
Raena took his hands. “Being with you is more important to me than use of any abilities, even if the laws weren’t overturned.”
“All things being equal, though…”
She cracked a smile. “Opening doors telekinetically to make badass entrances? Oh yeah.”
He grinned. “Exactly.”
They exited the conference room and found an aide to draft the resolution to overturn the telekinesis ban. The language was significantly more complicated than Raena had anticipated, and they soon found themselves deep into the nuances of appropriate telekinesis use. In retrospect, Raena realized it wasn’t just overturning a ban—they actually needed to establish the new law of what was allowable and when.
“We really should be consulting others about this,” she said privately to Ryan.
“We can always change it after the fact. As long as it’s broad enough to cover what we might encounter over the next day, we’ll be fine.”
Reluctantly, she agreed and they hammered out the details as best they could.
Just as the finalized document was being distributed for official signing, Raena spotted Cris waving to them from across the room.
“Wil and Jason just got here,” he told them.
Raena and Ryan jogged over to him. “That was fast,” Raena said as they approached.
“It’s been almost five hours,” Cris replied. He cast them a quizzical look. “What have you been up to?”
“Uh, rewriting the laws on acceptable practices for civilian use of telekinesis?” Raena said sheepishly.
Cris chuckled. “Well, that figures. I was just busy giving a public address about how things are changing for the better, so I suppose that’s appropriate.”
Raena rubbed her eyes. “I can’t believe it’s been five hours. That explains why I’m hungry.”
“We can grab a bite to eat with your dad and brother. Let’s go meet them,” Cris suggested.
They didn’t need to go beyond the porch. Wil and Jason were coming up the path and were already almost to the manor, looking travel-worn.
Though she and Ryan had gone to visit TSS Headquarters several times in the intervening years since she left the official training program, she hadn’t been with her family on Tararia for five years. It’d been eight months since their last visit, and it took her a minute to get over seeing Jason dressed as an Agent.
“Wow, look at you,” she murmured.
Jason grinned at her. “You’re one to talk! Wow, you’ve gone native.”
Raena looked down at her business attire. “You should see the evening gowns.”
Before she could say any more, her father had wrapped her in a warm embrace. “I wish we had been here for the wedding. Your mom—”
Raena patted his back. “It’s fine, Dad. It seriously wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Ryan flashed a sheepish smile. “We’d sorta just crash-landed and run up forty flights of stairs.”
Cris shook his head. “It’s a long story.”
Wil released Raena and scowled. “Uh huh…”
Jason took the opportunity to give Raena a hug. “I missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too.” She squeezed him.
“Congratulations.” Wil shook Ryan’s hand while Raena parted from the embrace with her brother.
“Thanks,” Ryan replied. “It’ll be nice to have some time to process everything.”
“Soon enough.” Wil took a deep breath. “First, we take the High Priests into custody.”
They’re not the only ones on the island. “We also need to get those women out of there,” Raena insisted. “Once the High Priests know they’re cornered, they might… try to destroy evidence.”
Her father considered the statement. “You’re right. We should send in a team. We might be able to use that vent you escaped through as an entry point.”
“I’m going,” Raena stated.
“No way.” Wil chuckled.
She stared him in the eyes. “I’m going. I left them behind once, I owe them now.”
“It doesn’t have to be you—” her father tried to protest.
“But it should be. If I want to prove myself as a leader for the people who’ve been taken advantage of, then this is the best way to show it. I may not have been training in Headquarters, but I can hold my own.”
Wil sighed. “You’ll just sneak aboard a shuttle if I try to stop you, huh?”
She shrugged. “Probably something along those lines.”
“I’ll go with her,” Jason volunteered.
Wil eyed them. “What are you thinking in terms of a team?”
“Just the two of us,” her brother suggested. “Raena knows the layout. The two of us are stronger than a team of a dozen Agents—or more.”
Their father shook his head but then nodded his agreement. “Fine, but you need to promise to play it safe.”
“We will,” Raena assured him. “I just… I need to make things right.”
“I know that feeling.” He looked to Jason. “Take the lead on getting everything prepped. Don’t take any unnecessary risks.”
“I’m on it.”
“While you take the back entrance, I’ll lead a team on the surface. I have some unfinished business with Quadris,” Wil said.
“I guess Ryan and I get to hold down the fort here,” Cris muttered.
Wil cast him a level gaze. “You’re High Dynasty leaders—leave the dirty work to others.”
Raena interlocked her fingers and flexed her hands. “I’m just going to forget about that title for a few hours, if you don’t mind. This is personal.”
* * *
I really don’t like Raena and Jason going in on their own… Wil tried to suppress his misgivings. He knew his children were more than capable of handling whatever they may face, but sending loved ones into a dangerous situation was always difficult.
However, Wil also knew he’d insist on going in, himself, were he in Raena’s position, so it was unfair to have any other expectations for her. The best thing he could do was secure the upper part of the facility to give Raena and Jason a clear exit.
To that end, he needed to get his team in order.
Wil reached out over the telepathic network between the TSS commanders, “Michael, I need a team to infiltrate the Priesthood’s island. Who do you have for me?”
“All the Elites aside from Kalin are on other worlds, but we have a Primus team and two Sacon units on cruisers in orbit. You have your pick of Militia,” his friend replied.
“Send the three Agent teams and a full battalion of Militia soldiers. I don’t want to mess around.”
Michael’s surprise carried over the telepathic network. “All right. What should I set as the staging point?”
Wil thought for a second. “We’ll go directly to the island. Meet at 17:00.”
“You’ve got it.”
That gave Wil less than an hour to get into position, but it would be enough. The faster they got there, the less time the High Priests and their acolytes would have to plan an escape past the TSS and Aesir ships. He had to hope their strong drive for self-preservation would be enough to keep their captives safe until they knew they were truly cornered and had no way out.
“We move in at 17:00,” Wil informed his children.
“We’ll be ready,” Jason confirmed.
Next, Wil reached out to Kalin with order
s to meet at the surface port to the west of the Sietinen manor.
His friend was waiting for him when Wil arrived. Wil smiled. “It’s been a long time.”
Kalin clapped him on the back. “Going on two years, huh? I guess I’m used to life planet-side now.”
“I was surprised when you didn’t come back to Headquarters the last time Raena and Ryan came to visit.”
“I still stay in touch with everyone,” Kalin replied. “But now, one of the admin staffers here and I are… closer.”
Wil cast his friend and quizzical look, but Kalin just gave a coy smile in response.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Wil said. “I hope you’re up for one final mission.”
“Absolutely.”
They went to the kiosk at the port and coded in access to one of the shuttles.
“I’m glad it worked out for you to be here,” Wil commented as they got settled in the craft. “I appreciate you leaving Headquarters to train Raena and Ryan.”
“They were exceptional students. It was a privilege.” Kalin paused. “I was surprised when you only assigned Raena a 9.3.”
“That was more political than an attempt at accuracy.”
His friend nodded. “Clearly.”
When pre-flight checks were complete, Wil directed the shuttle from the ground and set a course for the Priesthood’s island. “While you were training her, she didn’t—”
“Wil, we can be honest with each other. We both know I didn’t actually do any ‘training’; I was here to make everything look legit on paper. She was beyond me before we ever left Headquarters.”
He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “She’s very gifted, yes.”
Kalin chuckled. “Yeah, that’s what we’ll call it. What I think you’re asking is if others know she’s at least as strong as you? No, I doubt it. She’s never made any grand, public display.”
“She made a conscious choice to serve Tararia.”
“Well, something tells me that in the years to come, those telekinetic gifts and politics will no longer be mutually exclusive.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” Wil agreed.
The flight path took the shuttle over the river flowing from Lake Tiadon to the ocean, passing by suburban residences and the occasional commercial center. Eventually, the river fanned out into a wide mouth that spilled into the ocean, bisecting the pristine coastline extending in either direction.
They crossed the expanse of the ocean in silence, staying low in the hope of appearing to be a sightseeing craft admiring the sea life below. When they were twenty kilometers from the destination, Wil received an encrypted communication.
“This is Agent Gaedon,” a woman said. “We’re ready to move in on your order.”
Wil gauged the timing. “Do it. Send teams to secure the complexes on the southern shore. I’ll land at the northern port to take the main structure.”
“Aye,” Gaedon acknowledged and ended the call.
“How many people do you think are in there?” Kalin asked.
“My guess is maybe two to three hundred, but I really have no idea.”
“Well, we can take ’em.”
Wil smiled. “You bet we can.”
They made the final approach to the island just as two dozen TSS transport shuttles dropped through the cloud cover in one dramatic assault front. The crafts dispersed across the island, and Wil arced to the north to land on the cliffs near the main administrative building.
He powered down the shuttle as soon as they landed and jumped out the side door with Kalin.
Agent Gaedon ran up. “Are you coming in with us?”
“I wouldn’t miss it. I already have our first stop in mind,” Wil replied.
Five years prior, when Raena and Ryan were captured by the Priesthood, Wil had identified the location of High Priest Quadris’ office. The Priesthood leader might not be in the room after seeing an assault force arrive, but that wing was as good a place as any to start.
Wil broke into a jog toward the castle-like structure, accompanied by Kalin, a team of five Agents, and thirty Militia soldiers.
Four of the Militia soldiers scouted ahead with pulse guns. When they reached the main door into the buildings, two simultaneously swung open the double doors and the others rushed in to sweep the room. Though he didn’t detect anyone aside from the soldiers, Wil couldn’t be sure that the Priesthood didn’t have defensive tech to mask their presence.
The soldiers gave the all clear signal and Wil moved in.
Inside, the building was the same as he remembered it from his brief visit as a teenager. Polished stone archways adorned the interior corridors, with mosaics inset in the floors.
Though beautiful on the surface, the space had the same emptiness Wil had sensed on his previous visit. Knowing what he did now, he realized it was because the Priesthood lacked the heart and spirit that brought other places alive. This was a place fueled by selfish ambition. It sent a chill down Wil’s spine as he moved further into the space.
Ahead, the scout soldiers suddenly halted and aimed their weapons.
“On your knees!” one shouted.
Wil rushed around the corner to see a group of ten acolytes dressed in light gray lowering themselves to their knees with their hands behind their heads. Their expressions were eerily calm considering the guns pointed at their faces.
One of the acolytes spotted Wil. “You’ll never stop us.”
“Think again,” he replied and nodded to the guards to secure the Priesthood members. Privately, he reached out to Michael. “Are all the Priesthood’s labs under TSS control?”
His friend took ten seconds to respond. “Everything we and the Aesir know about. We’ll do another sweep once you have access to the Priesthood’s records to make sure we didn’t miss anything.”
“Good. We’re moving through the facility now.”
Four Militia guards escorted the acolytes outside while the rest of Wil’s team moved forward. They encountered one other group, which was also easily subdued.
At last, they reached the wing containing the office Wil had identified as belonging to Quadris. The halls were empty and offices darkened. However, a single, powerful presence awaited up ahead.
It’s him. The power was the same Wil had sensed coming from the hidden elevator as a teenager. It reminded him of what he felt while with the Aesir, but dark and twisted. Greed and hate swirled beneath the power.
“I’ll take the lead here,” Wil said and slipped past the Militia soldiers.
He telekinetically blasted open the door.
Inside, Quadris stood by the window, his back to Wil. Black robes covered him from head to foot. His pale hands were clasped behind his back. “I’m surprised it took you this long to come for me.”
“Wanted to get everything else in order first.” Wil gripped him in a telekinetic hold and spun him around.
Quadris stared unblinkingly at him with his glowing red eyes. “The irony… Our organization’s namesake turned against us.”
Irony or not, they brought this on themselves. Wil advanced on High Priest Quadris, tightening his telekinetic hold on him. “It’s over. You lost.”
“We will be born anew,” Quadris forced out through the telekinetic vice around his chest.
“We’ve destroyed your facilities. Whatever backups you think you have, they’re gone. This current form is all you have.”
Quadris’ face remained calm, accepting. “You could have become so much more.”
“Well, looks like we’ll just have to advance the old fashioned way,” Wil told him. He released the hold enough for Quadris to breathe without laboring.
The old man gasped as his lungs were able to fully fill again. “You’ve learned the secrets of our past, but that doesn’t change anything. Tarans are still weak. This species would wither without us.”
“You know, I think we’re going to be just fine.”
Quadris glared at him. “You’ll be cast as the villains for at
tacking us like this.”
“Again, I don’t think that’ll be an issue.” Wil took another step closer. “You see, while we’ve been chatting here, that data packet we shared with the High Dynasty Heads earlier has been transmitted to all the major news outlets—it even came with Vaenetri’s official validation. Every member of the Taran civilization is now learning just what you’ve been up to for the past millennia or so. They’ll all come to understand exactly what you’ve done and why you needed to be stopped. We’ve freed them.”
“We…” Quadris’ tone shifted, sounding genuinely contrite. “We were trying to save our fellow Tarans, too.”
“You manipulated people’s genetic code without their consent!”
“It was to help them. So many wished they could have more, and we tried to give that to them.”
“But it didn’t work.” Wil fixed him in a level stare. “You didn’t help them—you took away a core part of their being. Our entire culture changed when those abilities were lost. I’ve spent time with the Aesir—seen how fluidly they move between the spoken word and thought. I’ve felt how they interact with technology that’s tuned to respond to those with abilities. It’s the only place I’ve felt whole. When you took telekinetic abilities away, you condemned everyone to live an incomplete life, and worse yet, to not even know anything was missing.”
“It’s true,” Quadris replied. “It was our greatest mistake.”
The confession had come too easily, but Wil needed to capitalize on the opportunity. “Then admit it!” Wil shouted at him. “For once in your pathetic existence, own up to your mistakes! Tell the people what you did—that you made the Bakzen, that you villainized them to hide your own wrongdoings, that you’ve been capturing innocent daughters to serve your own selfish ends. How many lives have you ruined? You made me do so much of your dirty work, but no more! Admit what you’ve done and take some accountability.”
Quadris quaked in Wil’s presence, for once appearing only as a frail, elderly man. In that instant, gone was the all-powerful High Priest who would have had himself be a god. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
“Don’t tell me—tell them.” Wil activated the holoprojector and brought up a blank communication. Even if it’s not a genuine apology, a public admission of guilt will go a long way to promote peace. “Confess what you did,” he said to Quadris, staring into his sorrel eyes. “This is as close as you can ever come to making things right. It’s your choice now what kind of legacy you want to leave—one of honesty in your final moments, or selfish and deceitful to your dying breath.”