She cleared the pond and entered the dark realm of the woods on the other side. Immediately, the temperature decreased. The trees had grown so much that not even a flash of sun filtered through their dense limbs. The strange cessation of sound still unsettled her. She had not been back here since the day she left the Horus. That first year she had been tempted on many occasions to camp out in the woods and wait. Maybe Zak would find a way to come back for her. It was a desperate notion. Zak was as stubborn as she, and he would want her to fulfill her goals. He would want her to return to him on her own terms, with no qualms.
Even now...especially now...the nagging fear that he had moved on tortured her. The notion was a thick worm with gnashing teeth crawling inside her stomach. He was a gorgeous guy. He could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want her?
Aimee stared up, but the canopy of leaves locked her to this world. Maybe the Horus wouldn't even be able to find her under here.
Searching the ground, she swore this was the exact spot she stood on so many years ago, but the landscape had changed. What if right now a beam was pointed twenty or thirty yards away and Zak was up there assuming she did not want him.
Aimee began a desperate pace back and forth. Perspiration dotted her forehead. She had waited so long—so long…and never once had her feelings diminished. There were no doubts. No reservations. She wanted to be with Zak. If he did not come for her...she couldn't even imagine the grief.
Aimee glanced down at her watch. Twelve twenty-five. Five minutes late. That was it. He was not coming. He had found someone else on his planet. One of his own kind. How stupid was she to believe that he would wait this long for her?
Aimee clutched the pendant with such pressure she thought it might snap. But this was a composite that could withstand the abuse of light speed—surely it could handle the force of her thumb.
Twelve twenty-nine.
Her shoulders slumped. Tears stung her eyes. At least she would be able to collect her letter off the dining room table before her parents discovered it.
Defeated, Aimee began to retreat to the pond, but her toes had fallen asleep and she stumbled over a tree root. Too much time standing idle. She attempted another step and the other foot failed her. Aimee's glance jerked up into the tangled veil of foliage, yet she could detect nothing. Her fingers tingled and she splayed them out before her. They glowed, while a hum filled the air—a hum similar to the whir of an oscillating fan. The cavern of pines glimmered as her fingers began to fade. She could see through her palm right down to her sneakers.
She smiled.
I’m coming, Zak.
Aimee Patterson’s last act on this planet was to tip her head back and gaze up into the leaves...and beyond.
THE END
Beyond: Two Suns
Prologue
Less than two days after her high school graduation, Aimee Patterson walked her Cocker Spaniel along the pond on her parent’s farm. When Ziggy charged into the woods on the other side, Aimee was paralyzed with indecision. The forest was scary, a dark lair she had avoided since childhood. But she was not a child anymore, and something had caught the dog’s attention. Trailing after him into that bleak stockade...Aimee disappeared from this planet.
She woke up on a spaceship so grand and so far from Earth, never imagining that her adventure in space would last five years. In that time she learned new technology, visited a foreign planet, battled aliens, encountered disease—and cured it. Most importantly, though, she fell in love.
When the adventure was over, Aimee was twenty-two years old and confronted with a monumental decision. Should she remain in the stars with Zak and start their life together, or should she return to Earth to lead a normal existence and comfort the parents who never knew the fate of their missing daughter?
Aimee’s heart yearned for one future, but the burden of responsibility argued for another. The truth was that in order for her and Zak to spend a life together without regrets, they both needed to evolve—to mature.
For half a decade, Aimee walked the routine journey of life—always waiting—always looking to the stars—knowing, hoping, that one day he would return for her.
Today was that day…
* * *
Five years.
Five long years.
Aimee stared through her hands at the pine needles blanketing the ground below. Beneath her loafers, the packed earth altered, transitioning from brown, to gray, to obsidian−until finally the turf was gone and her leather shoes reformed atop a marble floor.
For a moment she was afraid to look up.
Five years.
Five years ago today she had stood in this exact same spot, saying goodbye to the man she loved. It was a moment filled with anguish barely diminished over time. In that period, doubt grew into a behemoth monster that warned daily that she would never see him again. To protect her heart she had tried to move on, but no man could connect with her as he did. And, every night the pendant around her neck burned his memory into her dreams…
Five years.
Only moments ago, she stood in the woods behind her pond as her heart drilled with the fear that he would not come back for her—and yet, the beam had appeared from above. A sign of faith. A sign of love. He was back. He wanted her. She bled happiness at the thought of being with him.
Zak.
Yes, time had passed, but in space the hands of the clock grew fuzzy. Here she was, once again aboard the Guardian Ship, Horus, about to be reunited with the man of her dreams.
At last, Aimee lifted her head.
With a spontaneous burst of delight at the sight of Vodu’s creased face, she leapt off the pedestal and enveloped him in a fierce hug.
"Welcome back, Aimee Patterson." His embrace was strong. His voice deep. Still with a face grooved like a road map, the man was nonetheless ageless.
Aimee stepped back to accept the next set of arms that wrapped around her. Raja.
Drawn tight into this embrace, Aimee’s fingers lodged into the golden hair spilling down Raja's slim back. She could smell a sweet hint of something floral, and heard emotion deep in the declaration, "Aimee. I'm so glad you're here."
Aimee, I'm so glad you're here.
Not, Aimee, I missed you. Not, Aimee, I'm so glad you're back.
Aimee withdrew and detected a flash of trepidation in Raja's green eyes, but the wide smile did its best to conceal that bantam shadow.
As delighted as she was to see Raja, Aimee was already looking over the woman’s shoulder. Save for these two individuals, the transport room was empty. Maybe he was waiting elsewhere. Maybe he was planning a surprise.
Her anxiety could not be masked, particularly when the faces staring at her began to lose their mirth.
Aimee retreated so that she could look at them both simultaneously.
"Where is he?" her voice cracked.
Raja clasped her hands together and pressed her lips tight, turning towards Vodu. Maybe age moved at a snail's pace aboard the Horus, but youth was external. The eyes revealed all, and right now the years tallied up inside Vodu's blue gaze.
"Aimee, let's go somewhere where we can sit down."
On cue, her legs weakened. She reached out and Raja was there, sustaining her with a strong grip.
"Where is he?" Aimee repeated, desperation lassoing around her throat.
Vodu winced and cast his glance towards the stars outside. "Aimee, Zak−"
"Zak what?" Oh my God. She could feel panic inching up the back of her neck—red hot fingers worming their way up her scalp.
"Not too long after you returned to Earth, Zak left for his planet, Ziratak, as planned."
Aimee wasn't even aware that Raja's arm had slipped behind her back for additional support.
"He−" Vodu hesitated, "−he missed his rendezvous with the Horus. We lost communication with him."
The old commander read her despairing expression, but continued. "We sent reconnaissance missions for as long as we could before the Ho
rus pulled out of range. The terra angels did not have the capacity to make it back to us. It would have been a one-way mission if any more took off.”
“And no one volunteered?” she cried. “For a man that was your best Warrior? A man this entire ship idolized only second to you! No one volunteered for a one-way mission?”
Vodu’s face pinched in pain. “Aimee−” Now it looked like he was the one who required a chair. “The reports that came back from those last recon missions were dismal at best. The Korons, who we believed were leaving Ziratak, in fact returned ten-fold. The rebels that Zak was intending to unite with, did not even exist, or had been wiped out quite some time ago.”
Blood drained from Aimee’s face. She began to feel dizzy, but blinked back the assault. “Zak?” She could manage no more than that single plea.
“They found his ship.” Vodu swiped a gnarled hand across his face. “It had been gutted to the point of inoperable. There were tracks around the craft−” he closed his eyes, “−not human.”
“There was nothing to send that one-way mission to,” he defended. “Nothing encouraging enough to warrant it. Zak was like my own. I would have flown to him if I could, but our window to reach Ziratak had closed. We have to wait another ren until we can return. And we will return.”
“So if Zak left the Horus shortly after me,” a spark of hope ignited, “then we are getting close. I’ve been gone a full ren.” A ren, she recalled, was a span of five Earth years.
Vodu nodded, but he possessed no spark. “Aimee. We have to be honest with ourselves. We have to accept the fact that Zak has most likely been−”
He couldn’t say the words, and she sure didn’t want to hear them.
Vodu’s lips thinned with strain. “You have a choice now. Our terra angels have made some upgrades. We are close enough to Earth that we can take you home and still afford your pilot enough time to make it back to the Horus.” He paused. “I think it is wise for you to go back.”
Aimee flinched. “You brought me up here. I didn’t beam myself up. Why would you do that? Just so you could tell me this horrendous news and then dispatch me back to my world—left to always wonder.”
“I did not bring you up here,” Vodu declared, his condemning eyes cast over her shoulder. “She hit the button.”
Aimee recoiled from the embrace around her back and pivoted to capture the wide glance that sought to elude her.
“Raja?”
Chapter One
A lump worked its way down Raja’s pale throat. She closed her eyes. “It was an impulsive gesture,” she admitted in a husky tone.
Vodu shook his head in disapproval.
“So you see,” he inserted. “As much as we are happy to have you back with us, we also think it’s in your best interest to return home. This ship may hold too much grief for you.”
Aimee glanced at Vodu whose expression was grave and remorseful. She switched her attention back to Raja, whose countenance was evasive. The woman was hiding something.
“How long do I have to make this decision?”
The rustle of silver fabric sounded as Vodu crossed his arms. “Not long, but there is definitely time for a welcome feast.”
A welcome feast.
How festive.
Her world was in bedlam. All she wanted was to be reunited with the man whose touch lingered with her for the past five years. She did not want to eat.
She would go to their feast. After all, they were extended family. At this moment her own family had read her letter and was coming to terms with her decision to leave. In an epic note, she had tried her best to assure her parents that she would be safe and happy, and would one day return to them. But not this day. Not this year.
She would attend the feast. And then she would find Zak.
* * *
For such a gap in time, little had changed aboard the Horus. One fact was glaringly apparent, though. There were far fewer personnel on board.
“You went back to Anthum?” she asked Raja who nodded in response.
Aimee recalled sitting in her college dorm room at night, staring out the small window as she thought about the residents of the Horus, hoping that they had been able to return to their planet and start anew after the virus that threatened to destroy them.
Vodu extended his arm, inviting her into the next chamber. For a moment she stared at the stark white wall, angry that she was unable to see behind the pearly mask. Had she lost her skills over the five-year hiatus? Was she unable to discern the images woven into this enigmatic fabric? Or was it that Zak was not here to calm her?
Relax, Aimee. Try it again.
Composure was undermined by the denial roiling inside her. Zak could not be dead. He simply could not be dead. She would never accept that. He was a survivor. He was a Warrior.
Relax, Aimee. Try it again.
Listening to that memory, she took a deep breath, watching as the white wall blended with intricate designs and three-dimensional imageries to reveal the symbols that identified Vodu’s private quarters.
With little fanfare, he waved his arm at the door, allowing them to pass through into an opulent conference room. This was Vodu’s personal meeting space for visiting dignitaries. She had heard of it, but had never seen it. Did she qualify as a dignitary now?
A long oval table made of a composite similar to black marble was surrounded by twelve spherical-based chairs.
"Excuse me as I step out and collect some guests,” he said. “I also need to contact the food hall and alert the Warriors of the impending trip."
After a pause, he looked at Aimee. "You have hardly changed, Aimee, and yet you are more beautiful than ever."
Bowing slightly, Vodu waved his hand at the wall and stepped through it.
Aimee turned towards Raja who was lowering herself into a chair.
"Who was that man?" Aimee gaped.
A sad smile dusted across the woman’s lips. “He has not been the same since Zak disappeared. He tries so hard to put on a positive front—as you can see by this.” She indicated the room.
But, it was more than that. It was the feast, or Vodu’s oddly exuberant behavior in general. Vodu was not the type of man to suggest a feast. Vodu commanded the Horus. He led. He charged. And, he did it all with an intellect that humbled Aimee. He did not plan feasts.
Wasting no time, Aimee slipped into the seat across from Raja. She splayed her palms atop the cool amalgam surface and leaned in. "Tell me the truth. Why did you press that button against Vodu's wishes? Tell me that Zak is alive."
Raja's glance fell. Her shoulders trembled as if a chill coursed through her. She opened her mouth to speak, but her body deflated again.
"Raja, please."
"Aimee, you have to accept that Zak is most likely gone," she pleaded.
"No," Aimee sat back. "No, I don't."
Raja's hand curled into a fist on the table and she shook her head to cast aside an inner demon.
"There were rumors from some of the returning recon Warriors," she started.
Aimee tensed, waiting for her to continue.
"They−they reported having seen Zak. They could not positively identify him, but they felt certain it was him by his stature, his hair, and yet−"
"And yet?"
"And yet," Raja hesitated. "They could not be certain, because he had...changed."
"Changed?" Aimee's eyebrows furrowed. "Changed how?"
"Aimee," Raja's elbows jutted out when she leaned in. "If the man they saw was Zak−he−he opened fire on them. He used a Koron's solar ray. One of the Warriors came back injured and one came back blinded. If it was Zak, he would certainly not fire on his own."
"I want to speak to these Warriors."
Raja frowned and sat up. "You're going to completely discount what I just said, and you're going to extract from it the only piece of information you want to hear...that Zak is alive."
Aimee gauged Raja. They had both grown out of their youth. Raja was now an elegant woman w
ith catwalk model looks. Shiny golden hair slid over her shoulders and nestled across her chest. Wide green eyes with a veil of dark lashes studied Aimee, awaiting her retort. Instead, Aimee held her tongue for a moment.
"Raja—" she began softly, "you never answered the question."
Raja's glance clashed with hers. "What do you mean?"
"Why did you push that button?" Aimee enunciated each word, because suddenly the answer was of the utmost importance.
Splicing fingers into her hair, Raja cupped the sides of her head. In this stark conference room this seemed like an inquisition.
"Just before Zak left, he pulled me aside." An anxious eye peeked out from the silken hair. "He said, If I'm not here when the Horus returns to Earth−and if by some miracle Aimee is waiting for me behind that pond−" Raja hesitated, "—bring her here. I will find a way back to her."
The cinch around Aimee's throat clenched. It was so tight it brought tears to her eyes. She tried to clear her throat to remove the obstruction.
"My dear Raja," she looked at the woman through a bleary veil, "I do believe that you are a romantic."
Raja tugged at the collar of her shirt. "The translator on these new garments is failing. What is a romantic?"
It was the first time that Aimee noticed that the mandatory silver suit was gone. Raja wore actual pants and a short-sleeved blouse. Granted, the material was stellar—a synthetic that Earth could never produce. Yet, the style looked remarkably familiar. The pants were tight, made from a dark-blue fabric, and the blouse was white. Opalescent. The similarity finally registered and Aimee proclaimed in shock, "Your outfit. It looks like the jeans and shirt I wore the first time I boarded the Horus."
"We needed a change." Raja blushed. "I had some input in the design of these garments."
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