by Ken Lozito
Kaylan opened the airlock, and they stepped to the edge of the docking tube. "You're right. That would be useful. You've been thinking a lot about going home."
"Haven't you?" Zack countered.
Kaylan glanced down the smooth white walls of the tube. Once they left the shuttle they would be in zero gravity until they reached the cruiser. The docking tube was fifteen meters long, which was a small leap in zero grav.
"Yeah, but I wasn't thinking about ship designs and all that," Kaylan said.
She should have long gotten used to Zack being able to spot the devil in the details, but he still surprised her. He could go from high-level concepts to specifics in the span of a few seconds.
Zack grinned. "It's the little things."
With a flourish of his hand, he gestured for her to cross the tube first. Kaylan grabbed onto the handhold and pulled herself forward. Her stomach felt light, and a small wave of nausea came over her at the momentary loss of gravity. She reached the inner airlock of the Boxan ship and stopped, which wasn’t difficult since she hadn’t been traveling very fast. She pushed herself down to the ground and moved to the side to clear the way for Zack, then watched as he seemingly flew across the space, unable to keep the boyish grin from his face as he pretended to be Superman.
Kaylan smiled. She'd watched Zack change so much since they’d first boarded the Athena and raced toward Pluto. Their journey had changed each crewmember as they faced very different challenges, but the journey had taken its toll on all of them. While Kaylan knew none of their lives would ever be the same if they somehow made it back to Earth, what she didn't know was just how different home would feel once they got there. Had all of their perspectives changed so much that returning home would be as much of a challenge as leaving had been? She imagined that Katie and Hicks would remain in the military, and both would be highly sought after given their experiences and qualifications. Brenda couldn't wait to go home, and Kaylan believed that once she got there she'd never leave again. Emma would enjoy a long overdue reunion with her husband, but Kaylan didn't expect her to stay home for very long. She loved exploration and researching new life forms. Efren's knowledge of Boxan technology would enable him to have his pick of whatever he wanted to do if they got back. But what would she do if they returned home? She'd thought about it a bit but hadn't really given it a lot of attention. She had no idea where she’d go from here. The Boxans highly revered someone like her, but back on Earth anyone claiming to have her abilities was met with harsh skepticism. She didn't relish the thought of having to deal with that sort of attention.
Zack reached the airlock and stopped himself using the handholds. He glanced at her. "What are you thinking about?" he asked while pushing himself down to the floor.
Kaylan closed the airlock doors and the artificial gravity field slowly increased. "I was thinking about how far the crew has come."
Zack nodded. He pressed his hand on the panel to open the inner-airlock door, and Gaarokk greeted them. His brown, roughened skin seemed to soften at the sight of them.
"Kladomaor asked me to meet you and bring you to the Mardoxian chamber," Gaarokk said.
They headed into the ship. The corridors had high ceilings to accommodate the Boxans.
"How does the Mardoxian chamber on this ship compare with the ones that were on the monitoring stations?" Kaylan asked.
"It's different. The chambers located on the monitoring stations are capable of amplifying a signal once it’s received, but we don't know what the state of the monitoring station is in your star system," Gaarokk said.
"We still need to try," Kaylan said.
"Agreed," Gaarokk said. "Earth should be warned of the danger."
Zack arched an eyebrow. "I probably shouldn't ask—”
"You should heed such instincts. They are there to protect you," Gaarokk said quickly and glanced at Zack. "But you're going to ask anyway. Go ahead."
"Thanks," Zack replied. "I'm somewhat surprised that the High Council is allowing this to happen."
Gaarokk snorted. "This isn’t something they would deny."
"I understand that, but they could drag their feet . . . you know, make things take longer than they otherwise would have," Zack said.
"It would be pointless of them to do so. They've learned quite a bit in dealing with your species. Also, Kladomaor and Ma'jasalax agree with what you're trying to do. Even if they had reservations, they'd still help you, and so would I," Gaarokk said.
"We appreciate all you've done for us," Kaylan said.
"We also know you would go off and do it anyway, even without our help," Gaarokk said.
"Yes, but it would be difficult. The Athena doesn't have a Mardoxian chamber aboard. I'd thought of using the one on Nerva, but Ma'jasalax advised me to come here," Kaylan said.
The Mardoxian chamber was a pyramid structure that intensified her abilities and was located near one of the Boxan resonance chambers they used to deal with long space voyages. Gaarokk guided them to the Mardoxian chamber. He opened the large doors and they went inside. Kaylan saw Ma'jasalax and Valkra waiting for her.
"Thank you for helping me with this," Kaylan said to Ma'jasalax and nodded a greeting to Valkra.
"Of course. We have an alliance, after all," Ma'jasalax replied and looked at Zack. "Do you have the data you wish to include in your message?"
"I have it. Where do you need me to send it?" Zack asked.
"Upload it to our systems here," Ma'jasalax replied.
"Done," Zack said.
Ma'jasalax went to a nearby console with Gaarokk, and Valkra went over to Kaylan.
"Ma'jasalax wanted me to be here to learn more about what it means to have the Mardoxian potential, but I wanted you to know that I will help you in whatever way I can. It's the least that I can do given all you've done for us," Valkra said.
Kaylan shook her head. "You don't owe me anything."
Valkra's gaze hardened. "I understand that your reasons for helping us were without thought about how it would benefit you. I recognize that, as does Councilor Essaforn, but that doesn't mean we’re not in your debt. It’s a debt we can never repay, but we’ll help you however we can."
Kaylan thanked her. She didn't completely understand how she was able to connect with Valkra through Mardoxian means, but the connection remained strong. The only other Boxan she felt something similar with was Ma'jasalax, which Kaylan attributed to the fact that the first time she’d been in a Mardoxian chamber, she'd communicated with Ma'jasalax.
"The chamber has been prepped and we have the coordinates for the monitoring station in Earth's star system," Ma'jasalax said.
"You were able to reach it?" Zack asked.
"To put it in terms you would understand, the connection hasn't initialized; it's just ready. Kaylan must initialize the connection as bearer of the message," Ma'jasalax answered.
Zack looked at Kaylan. "So you go into the chamber and initialize a connection to the monitoring station on Pluto. Then you use that to send a message to Earth, but how do you craft the message so it includes the Star Shroud shield shutdown instructions?"
"The chamber does some of the work. I’m merely the link. Those with the Mardoxian potential are able to communicate differently and are capable of different communications protocols," Kaylan answered.
Zack didn't say anything else, but Kaylan could tell that his mind had become jumbled with questions he was holding back. His curiosity would have to wait.
Kaylan made her way to the Mardoxian chamber entrance. As she neared the pyramid and heard the gentle hum of energy, she placed her hand on the panel next to the closed door and it opened. Glowing cyan lights raced up the cathedral-high ceilings, coming to a central point. Crimson lines of light also came on from twin points on the floor and continued around the base of the pyramid's interior. Kaylan crossed the threshold, and the door closed behind her. A dark blue beam shot down from the ceiling to a crystal sphere that rose from the floor. Kaylan sat on the floor and
focused on the star coordinates to the monitoring station on Pluto. She had to trust that the coordinates were accurate.
An azure pathway opened in her mind and raced ahead of her as Kaylan rushed to catch up. She had to get this message to Earth before it was too late, and she hoped they would heed her warning quickly. She raced along the azure pathway, anticipating her connection to the chamber on the other side. She'd done this on Olloron as part of the Mardoxian training program. She expected a brief pause until the chamber came online, but instead she felt her consciousness slam into an invisible wall. It felt as if all her senses had been jarred, and she struggled to remain focused.
Kaylan tried again but was met with similar resistance. She paused for a moment, gathered her concentration, and slowly moved ahead to the barrier, which she pressed. She couldn't see it but felt as if she were pressing on a stone wall that was unyielding and impenetrable. Her failure to get through the barrier felt like a punch to the stomach. She tried to find a way around but felt as if she were stumbling around in the dark. Loneliness pressed in on her and she became increasingly desperate, feeling herself becoming frustrated with her efforts to get around the barrier. In her mind, she remembered working with Michael Hunsicker, who always encouraged her to take a step back and think things through. Kaylan receded back down the pathway and opened her eyes in the Mardoxian chamber. She'd failed.
She stood up and felt tiredness creep into her muscles. She'd been in the chamber for two hours, but it felt like moments. She opened the door and the first thing she saw was Zack's hopeful gaze, which stung. Kaylan shook her head. "I couldn't reach it."
Zack frowned for a moment. "Was it the shield?"
"I think so," Kaylan said and looked at Ma'jasalax.
"There might be another way, but there is a risk," Ma'jasalax said.
There’s always a risk, Kaylan thought. "I don't care. I'll try anything."
"I'd like to know the risk," Zack said quickly, giving Kaylan a sidelong glance.
"The chamber intensifies perceptions, and a being with the Mardoxian potential is able to traverse vast distances much quicker than a ship can travel. There is another configuration, but there’s a risk that the being inside could become detached," Ma'jasalax said.
Zack's eyes widened and he glanced at Kaylan. "What does that mean? How would you be detached?"
Kaylan opened her mouth a few times. She knew Zack wasn't going to like it, but she wouldn't lie to him. "It means I might not be able to get back."
Zack blinked his eyes rapidly and his brows pulled together in concern. "Can I go with you? Is there some way I can help in there?"
Kaylan felt her throat thicken.
"You can’t help her in the chamber because you don’t have the Mardoxian potential," Ma'jasalax said.
"She's right. I have to do this on my own," Kaylan said.
"That's not what Ma'jasalax said," Valkra said. "She said Zack couldn't help. But I can. We share a Mardoxian connection. We can each strengthen the other."
"You’re referring to a bonded pair. You’d have the same risk as Kaylan would, which isn't insignificant. This is something that isn't done because we've lost many of our sect in the attempt," Ma'jasalax said.
"Then it's a risk I'm willing to take," Valkra replied.
Ma'jasalax regarded her for a moment. "No, it's a risk we are willing to take."
Kaylan looked at both of them. She didn't think she could do this on her own, and both Boxans watched her as if daring her to say she didn't need their help. But she did, and it was their only hope of warning Earth.
Chapter Eleven
Edward Johnson was in a data processing facility north of Denver, Colorado—one of many facilities Dux Corp owned across the globe. He could've gone to any of them and been able to continue his work, but he’d always had a soft spot for Colorado. What could he say? He was a fan of the Rockies, and the climate there was gentler on his allergies than the East Coast of the United States. He didn't trust himself to go to the European offices because of the temptation to work out in the field, and the field was where younger people thrived. Someone like him would only slow them down. Those field teams needed to be agile for hunting the Xiiginns.
He’d just finished reviewing the latest reports. The Xiiginns seemed to allow his teams to get only so close and then disappeared like smoke, and it felt as if every nation on the planet was holding its collective breath. He’d used every resource at his disposal to ensure that the flow of information to nations across the globe remained irrevocably intact—no small feat considering that a short time ago, three nuclear bombs had been detonated over populated areas. Ed had done everything he could to help keep the peace, but he knew it was the ECF who had kept the nations of the world communicating. Ed had to admit that General William Sheridan had a great big pair of titanium balls. There weren't many men who would open lines of communication to heads of state, declaring that if any of them launched an ICBM, he, along with their Boxan allies, would stop those missiles from reaching their intended targets. There would be no nuclear holocaust.
The Xiiginns had won a victory. Though the trail of the terrorist groups involved had gone cold, they'd been able to provide evidence to heads of state that the nuclear bombs had been provided by the Xiiginns. The Xiiginns had stolen nuclear warheads and armed them. This meant that humanity wasn't as immune from the Xiiginn influence as they'd originally hoped.
Sheridan had been instrumental in getting the heads of state to listen, but it was the ECF as a whole that provided a much-needed stabilizing influence on the entire world. It had been more than Ed could've hoped for, and he attributed much of its success to their Boxan allies. Since then, Ed had devoted every waking moment to his pursuit of the Xiiginns. He coordinated with law enforcement agencies throughout the globe as much as he could, and when he couldn't, he used his own forces because they could move much faster and were much better equipped. Every time they got close, the Xiiginns slipped away, although his most recent raid at a facility in Poznan, Poland, had revealed a lab of sorts. He'd finally found a target that had to be important to them.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what the Xiiginns were trying to do, and the Boxans confirmed it for them anyway. The Xiiginns were after what the Boxans referred to as the Mardoxian potential. Ed's teams had been able to trace the Xiiginns because they were using Earth-based technology (another Boxan term). It dripped of irony that their interstellar invaders had to use technology from a non-interstellar race. But this meant he could find them; it was only a matter of time.
"I think I have something here," James said.
Ed looked away from his holoscreen and saw Iris doing the same. James Jordan was a talented security analyst, so when he said he might have something, Ed's pulse quickened with anticipation.
"I've been using pattern-recognition applications to compare the logs from various transport agencies—air or sea, mostly. I think the Xiiginns are finally coming here. Well, not here specifically, but the United States, or at least North America. These logs here are for jets that are owned through various subsidiaries associated with groups we've identified as having a connection to the Xiiginns," James said.
"Are you sure about that? Because the Xiiginn connection to those groups is paper thin at best," Iris said.
"We investigate every lead," Ed said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Do we have any idea where those jets have gone?"
"We have where they left from and their last known heading, but we don't have confirmation that they reached their destination. We’ll have to guess as to where they made landfall, but it gives us a target," James said.
Ed nodded. "Good. Coordinate with Webb's team and bring in the FBI if you have to. I don't care. Just get whoever's closest and can get there first."
"Ed, you need to see this," Iris said.
Ed held up his index finger toward Iris. "Contact Benjamin McAllister in Homeland Security and tell them we may have enemies storming our gates. That s
hould get you through any red tape, but if not, get me on the phone."
James jotted down a few quick notes and said he'd get right on it.
Ed turned toward Iris, whose attention was on a broadcast on her own holoscreen. A news briefing was being shown from the ECF lunar base. It kept replaying a video of a group of people and then a man who was standing off to the side suddenly collapsing. The video feed focused in on the man, and Ed recognized him instantly as Michael Hunsicker. The news commentator speculated that some of the ECF personnel had succumbed to a mysterious illness that perplexed medical doctors, but some believed the illness was related to exposure to the Boxans.
"Replay that," Ed said.
Iris started the video feed at the beginning. The camera was focused on General Sheridan, who was addressing a virtual news conference. Michael Hunsicker was standing off to the side with Commander Alyssa Archer. Ed used his neural implants to mute the commentator's audio feed, then selected the area around Michael Hunsicker and amplified the sound. There was a sharp exhalation and then what sounded like a harsh groan before the sound was distorted by other people rushing to Michael Hunsicker's side.
Ed licked his lips in thought. "When was this video taken?"
"Just a few minutes ago," Iris said and frowned. "What is it?"
Ed felt something on the edges of his thoughts. His brow furrowed as he tried to remember. What was he missing? There was something about the way Michael Hunsicker had collapsed and that sound—almost like he was muttering something as he went down. Suddenly, Ed's eyes widened. "Iris, get me General Sheridan right now. Don't go through normal channels. I need his direct line."
Ed watched as Iris brought up the secure interface with the ECF communications protocols. She selected the emergency line and then gave him a firm nod.
"Listen to me very carefully, General," Ed said.
There was a slight pause. "Johnson, how did you get this—"
"We don't have time for that right now. What is Michael Hunsicker's status?"