by Melanie Ray
“If Cooey wants too,” Zaria Junior agreed.
Cooey looked over at Zar. “Will we have our own rooms?”
“If you want,” Zaria said to Cooey. “If you want to share a room, you can do that too. Whatever is comfortable.”
“You’ll have a backyard too.” Muinela bent down toward her children and stared at them. All those years, gone. “We’ll start out in an apartment, but we’ll get a house with your own backyard, full of toys and even a jungle gym. Everything. Whatever you want.”
“Really, mom?” Cooey asked again. “Can I call you that now?”
Muinela breathed deeply. “Yeah, I suppose.” She smiled as she touched her face. “It's a starting place."
Yed watched Zaria and Muin with their children. Muinela finally remembered, at least the finer points, and now she was ready to book it. "Xiam, you moving too?” He tried not to sound too bitter.
“I don’t know. A place would be neat.” Xiam stole a kiss from Iri. “Privacy would be priceless.”
He was gone. Yed knew it too by the gleaming look in his and Iri’s eyes. It would be only him and his family and his family. He still had to make sure his dad, mom and sister could survive out in their new world. As for Tiger and Carress, they were there to stay and Ezra would be too. At least he could count on that much.
Chapter 56
ALONE
Yed watched his children as he sat on the couch. Tiger and Carress were glued to the television, it was amazing to them. They’d probably heard stories about it on Pagnia, before The Great Destruction their kind had that. Xiam and Iri retired for the night, as did Muin and Zaria. His mom, his dad, and even his sister called it quits. He would be putting his kids to bed soon too. “Alright you two, you should head to bed.” Tiger and Carress both moaned as the sheer magic of television disappeared in front of them with a click. “Come on.” Yed pointed towards their room. “Cooey and Zar already headed to bed earlier.”
“Yeah, everyone went to bed early almost,” Tiger complained. “How come everyone went to bed so early?”
Not a thought Yed wanted to enter his mind. “They wanted to, they were tired.”
“When’s Ezra coming back?” Carress asked as she went into the room.
“Later. I’ll stay up for her,” Yed insisted. He sighed and closed the door. It had been a real long time now. Why hadn’t he at least got a call from Bibble? Or even Jemias saying she was going to be overnight would be better than nothing at all. His thoughts changed direction as he heard a knocking at the front door. He answered the door and saw Ezra in front of him, suffering no pain. “Ezra, you came back. Better I see?” Ezra was speechless. Yed grabbed her hand and ushered her in. “Come on in, I’ll wake Tiger and Carress up to let them know your home.”
“Don’t.” Ezra looked at the ground. She let go of his hand and fidgeted. Her voice was coarse, as if she had a cold. “Sounds like you’ll be a good dad.”
Yed laughed. “You think so?” His smile turned to worry as he looked at her expression. There was no relief in her eyes, only pain. Secrets not yet revealed. Impossible, Bibble should have been able to handle it, she could do brain surgery backwards if she wanted. “What is it, what's wrong?"
“Too bad I’ll never get to be a good mom.” Ezra took his hand again, gently between hers. “We’re in trouble, Protector.”
Yed sat down and tried to hear the words Ezra was speaking. It wasn’t easy, but he knew she was trying to say something tough. So far, all he’d gotten was a couple of utterings that didn’t make sense. She was trying to figure out how to begin, and so far wasn't successful.
“The thing in my head...the...the thing..." Ezra gestured to her head. "Pagnia, in Pagnia-a I was...you see the waryes...the thing in my...” Ezra stopped moving her hands around and closed her eyes. “The chip cut through me,” she said clear as could be. “Bibble can’t help. It will continue to cut. I’ll lose functions like talking, I will forget more and ultimately-”
“Okay,” Yed patted her hand. “I’m sorry you have to live on the outer limits, but there’s got to be something we can do. Maybe when they shift in a better spot, Bibble can try again.”
“I can’t live on the outer limits.” Ezra covered her face. “You don't understand it yet. Yed? I was being pulled in more than one direction. Bibble saw it. Do you know what that means?”
“That’s impossible,” Yed shook his head. “There’s no way you can get pulled in more than one direction." He pointed to the ceiling. "The inhibitors are only here.”
“Not only here,” Ezra said, “there are at least three out there. Meaning there are waryes here, somewhere.”
Yed raised his eyebrow and sat back further on the couch. “Well okay, one or two enemies got through. I’ll find them and take care of them, don’t worry.”
“Three in this vicinity,” Ezra said more firmly. “Yed, they’ve probably gone back. If there was a team out here scouting when we came? If they had even one transporter more than they told the press? They could go back and make more. Earth could be in danger.”
Yed shook his head. “No. No, not Earth I wouldn’t let that happen.”
“As long as they come, I will feel the inhibitor pull. The more that come, the bigger and stronger the pull will be.” Ezra bit her lip. “Soon there won’t be an outer limits.” She placed her fingers to her temple. “There won’t be a safe place, so I might as well say goodbye before I get worse.” She cleared her throat. “It’s going to be hard, but don’t give up. Hide. Once they come, you can live with the waryes and survive with the kids, and others. Others, I think. I need a pill for this ache again.”
“That’s not an option," Yed said. "You can’t say goodbye and give up, I won’t let them win. I won’t. Not this time.”
“Yed, they are out there. Just keep a close eye on everyone.” Ezra smiled sadly. Yed could tell she was keeping the majority of tears back, trying to be brave. “I’m sorry the way this turned out. I'm sure this Earth would have been a terrific start for us.”
He stood up from the couch and gestured his arms around him. "This is my home, and I did not escape Pagnia to lose my second,” Yed shouted. “My world is not over, not this one.”
“Bibble’s going to try to take control of it. Sell it to someone powerful. Root for her, but even if she does, I don’t think anyone interested in Earth could beat them. There’s too many, and they are too smart.” Ezra sighed. “There’s nothing left to do, just keep Tigeravich and Carressela safe. My family too, okay? Now, I should go. Goodbye, Yed.”
“No. You’re not leaving. You are not leaving.” Yed grabbed her hand firmly. “You can’t. We've been here less than a month, and you've had a headache most of that time. You haven't tasted all the fabulous food yet, haven’t listened to music or have even seen an electronic book. I was-you need to see all the fantastic new things on the planet. And well I-what about Tiger and Carress, huh?”
“I died in surgery. Make it simple,” Ezra said softly as she stood up beside him. “Make it simple for everyone, okay?”
“No,” Yed insisted through gritted teeth. “I’ll find another way.”
Ezra continued to smile for him. “You do that. I’ll be on the outer limits when you do. Okay?”
She didn’t believe him. Yed watched as she headed to the door. “Wait.” He ran after her. “I can’t. You can’t.”
“Yeducavich, don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Ezra’s smile broke. “Please let me go with dignity.”
“No, I can do this,” Yed insisted, “so have some faith. I could always take one of the-”
“Yed, it’s over.” Ezra turned away and opened the door. “I’m going to go now.”
“I’ll get you when I’ve got something,” Yed said as he watched her walk out. “Don’t go too far because I will come up with something.” He went to his room to grab his Protector shirt, but saw no one else there. Muin had moved herself into Zaria’s room. He grabbed his shirt, slid it on and walked out the
door.
“There is nothing I can do, and fragments of the device in her brain are too fine,” Bibble insisted to Yed. “I cannot help her.”
“Why not, too small? Is it because they are too small?” Yed asked, his hands fidgeting all around like he had too much caffeine. “Maybe you need more help, more assistance? My dad knows a thing or two about brain surgery.”
Bibble looked at him in surprise. “I don’t know if a qualified assistant would make a difference. The equipment available is too primitive, there isn’t much I can do with-.”
“With this equipment, got it,” Yed finished for him. “What if I got you different equipment, huh? More advanced technology from my native world?”
“I am not trekking about on a war torn foreign planet,” Bibble said in disgust. “I will not risk my neck for something trivial like tools.”
“No, but I would,” Yed said seriously. “If I get you more advanced technology, with the assistance of my dad, can you help her?”
Bibble rolled her eyes. “Moron, you've got it bad." She looked back at him, and his expression didn't change. "If there is a remote possibility that more advanced technology will let us remove the fragments, I cannot say for sure. Maybe.”
Maybe was better than nothing. “If this doesn’t work, I’ll have to find her a different planet,” Yed said sadly. “Either way, she’s not going to die on Earth.”
“A different planet may be a better option,” Bibble warned him. “If I do not conquer and sell this world in time.”
Yed sighed. “Bibble, you don't have to try that. You can't conquer Earth, the natives are too unpredictable, and you could get killed. Besides, its only a few ships, I can take care of it. I’ll take care of everything. This world will be safe.”
"Talk is cheap," Bibble said, “and every moment Ezra is here, her chances get weaker.”
“I’ll leave tonight.” Yed insisted. “I’ll get in the kingdom again, and I’ll get everything.” He nodded at Bibble. “This is a dangerous trip though, so if I don’t come back in a few days, inform my family of where I went.”
Yed looked at the transporter in front of him. Everyone would want to kill him if they found out he went back, but there wasn't any choice. He approached one and looked at it a moment. Just a quick trip. I’ve got an ID, they don’t know my ID. I can do this, just head to the lab and grab the stuff. Then get back right away. The plan was straightforward, but things rarely went the way they were supposed to. In his experience, anyhow. He got into the machine. "The things I do. I’m not even getting paid for being a Protector anymore." It was in his blood though, it was who he was. He had to save Ezra, no matter what it took. He closed the lid and looked at the buttons. “Alright, let’s get this over with. One quick trip.”
Chapter 57
RECOGNIZE
Yed headed straight for the rubbage bins in the Waryes Kingdom, knowing that getting the finest tools wouldn't be an option. He looked around and saw some tools in one of them. Let’s see, I recognize that piece.
"This thing is such a clunker."
Yed hid as waryes began to come in with strange objects. They stood around and broke more interlocking pieces, throwing it in the rubbage bin.
"Like it would have worked anyway. That takes care of Cattral II and Cattral III, we've got to tear apart the Cattral IV, then we'll be done." One of the waryes chunked another huge piece in the rubbage bin. Yed recognized the piece, it was a familiar looking hoop. They were tearing the time machines apart.
"What happened to the Cattral I, I couldn't find it," the other waryes asked the first.
"Oh, the first one? Burnt out shortly after its first victim," the waryes answered. "That's how they got their names anyhow. Traveling in time would have put the waryes name out to every planet. An accomplishment, the leaders in travel! But the king says they need to be out of here before we move on to Earth."
Cattral. It couldn't be Mr. Cattral. It wouldn't be, not in that fashion. Not fried internally, not that painfully. Yed looked away, he had to concentrate on what was important. Earth. So, they were planning something. He waited for them to leave then grabbed the rubbage bin. There was no time to rummage through it, he didn't know what was what, but his father would.
“Ezra?”
Ezra turned herself around and stared at Yed. She tilted her head slightly but didn’t say a word to him. She was on the outer most limits, her expression wobbled between sanity and delusion.
“Come on, I’ve found a way to help.” Yed grabbed her hand. "Told you that I would, didn't I?"
“You look older,” Ezra said to him.
“Older?” Yed didn't like the sound of that. “How much older?”
“Older old. Like an adult.” Ezra turned her head to look at him again. “Have you bathed in a little while, Yed? Momma’s gonna look down on us if we’re not setting the right behavior for Muiny and Xiam.”
Momma. Yed looked sadly at Ezra, that statement told him everything. Her mind was trapped in her childhood. Don’t give up, don’t give up. Warnos have different minds than what Earthlings have. “Come on Ezra, come with me to Bibble's lab. Okay?”
“Those look sharp,” Ezra whined as she looked from the tools to Yed. “What are they going to do?”
“Nothing,” Yed lied. “Just breathe. They’re going to knock you out, and when you wake up, you’ll be as good as new.”
Ezra looked at Bibble and Jemias as she clung harder to his hand. “Yed?”
“Trust me.” Yed helped her lie down. “I am your Protector, you have to do what I say.”
Ezra nodded and lied down. “I’m a little scared, Yed. Where’s Xiam and Muiny?”
“Safe, at your house.” Yed lied again, trying to bring her comfort.
“Who’s watching them?” Ezra had to ask. “They’re too small to watch themselves.”
“A babysitter, someone else.” Yed tried to think fast. What could he say? “This is important, so the neighbor is watching them. Just trust me, okay?” He nodded at his dad. It was time.
Yed stood over by the entrance. If waryes are here, they're probably taking over small parts already. Laying the ground work, going back for more supplies. More machines will be made in no time flat. His planet, his actual safe, free Earth would be taken over? There’s gotta be something I can do.
“I don’t know about this part.”
“I don’t either, but we could try this tool maybe?”
Yed didn’t look back. It would be too weird to see. It was hard enough hearing what was going on. He had to stay there though. Stay guard make others leave so they wouldn’t interrupt the surgery. Most of all, if something went wrong, he wanted to be there with her when it happened. Not that he wanted to think of that. Ezra, under the knife.
“Is that a fragment? It’s a little different than its surroundings. Looks strange.”
“That is a malignant mind disruption, abnormal cells that eventually cause death. They are more common with a brainwashed warno, let's take care of it too.”
Yed tried not to listen as he watched the glorious sunny day. Xiam has his wife back, Muin’s ready to make a life with her family again, and I’ve got to get my family taken care of. I cannot let the waryes take over my planet. Not after this. I can’t lose against them, not this time. There had to be something. There would be something if there were more than him. As it stood, the only beings on the Earth that knew anything about the waryes that had a chance of stopping them were him and his dad, the old W rank retired Protector. Nope, it was more likely that other aliens with green antennae would invite Earth to a pizza party.
The Earth had its soldiers: Armies, Marines, etc. They didn’t understand anything about the waryes’ though and would be the first to be killed. There’s got to be something else.
“Careful where you snap. That controls her speech.”
“There? Intriguing, different area from my kind.”
Don’t think about that statement, concentrate on Earth, Yed told himself.
How fast would the enemy move in?
Danva sighed and went back to work. “That piece...with this...got it. Okay, one more piece. Ooh, that is not in a good place.” He scratched his head and grabbed a different tool. “Nope, not that one.” He put it back and grabbed a different tool. “Not this one either.” He looked over on Bibble's side and grabbed one of the tools. “What is this? This isn't a tool."
Bibble took it and adjusted the coke bottle glasses to look closer. "A part of the time machine Yed told us about I bet. All the rest of the pieces in the rubbage bin probably make one."
"The killing machine more likely," Danva said as he looked over into the bin. "I recognize it now." He put it back down and lifted another tool. "Oh wait, what's that in her brain, is that a piece? Can we get that one, it's exceptionally small."
“It is extremely far and in a delicate position.” Bibble looked at the tool Danva picked up. “That is the best one out of the choices, but I don’t know if it will work.”
“It has to work.” Danva held the tool steady. He glanced at Yed’s back, and then casted his eyes back down. “This is going to take extreme precision.” He handed the tool to Bibble. “Here you go. My son will hate me if something goes wrong, but if I kill her myself, I don't think he'll let that go.”
Bibble took the tool and looked at it. She took a deep breath and began her descent. “Done. Let’s clean up.”
“Will she be alright?” Yed asked as he moved over to his father.
Danva came over and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Son? The happy news is that she isn't going to die.”
“What about her memory?” Yed had to ask as he felt his father holding his shoulder, strongly. “Will it come back?”
“That’s the tough one to tell you,” Danva admitted, now moving to patting his shoulder. “Son, I am sorry. Wherever her mind is now, is where it will stay. Where is her mind?”
“Back.” Yed looked out the window. “To when she was a kid.”
Danva scratched his head. “Maybe in a good fifty to two hundred years you can date her then?” He laughed, but then stopped quickly as he saw Yed's glare. “Sorry, wrong moment. I know she meant a lot to you, but we are lucky she even lived Junior.”