“Nope. I put them on this morning and found that I didn’t need them.” He shrugged. “I’ll have to get regular sunglasses now.”
“Or you can let people see your eyes.”
Kensei shrugged.
Lance LaGrange approached them. He wore a dashing linen suit with blue detailing at the pockets and buttons. His dark hair had a perfect part down the side, and his smooth face seemed to glow. “Miss Tripper, Mister Drake, you two look splendid.”
“Thanks.” Jenny looked down at her new black boots.
“It’s surprisingly comfortable.” Kensei tugged at the bottom of his uniform’s shirt.
Lin looked up at Lance. “What happened to you last night?”
“I was supervising the delivery of a new pump when I received a distress call from Mister Ward.”
Lin smiled at Jenny and Kensei. “You two go on ahead.”
“Thanks,” Jenny said. Her stomach was eating her from the inside out. A tall, handsome, dark-haired young man in a blue uniform scanned her meal card. She grabbed a tray and got into the canteen line.
Heat lamps shone down on stainless-steel food bins. Each had a handwritten label listing the dish’s name and ingredients. The first item was talo, which looked like a corn tortilla. The next tray held a white fish called wahoo. Jenny took two tortillas and a generous amount of the fish. Next was ota, a cold fish dish. Jenny scooped some onto her plate and added some cooked bananas and mashed taro from the next station. At the end of the line, she took a stainless steel cup and filled it with coconut water.
“Where should we sit?” Kensei asked.
Jenny looked around the room. Sadi and Aindriu sat in a group with several other gray-uniformed recruits. A gaggle of blue uniforms sat in the middle of the room. At the far end of the room, a group of five people wore black. Jenny looked down at her white outfit. Why couldn’t I get one of those? Jenny thought. “What’s with the different uniform colors anyway?” she asked.
“It seems like most of the older people are wearing blue and black,” Kensei said.
“I think it has to do with seniority,” Jenny mused. “We’re in white because we’re the newest recruits.”
Kensei nudged Jenny and pointed to a corner. Two walrus-like aliens spooned heaps of food between their tusks. “Those must be Selkans.”
“Stop pointing,” Jenny said, “it’s rude.” Yet she couldn’t take her eyes off of them. They had stout bodies with long arms that tapered down to delicate, long fingers. White tusks jutted a few centimeters from the sides of their mouths. Each had a broom-like mustache sprouting under their broad, flat nose.
“Jenny,” Billo called out as she waved from a table in the far corner of the room.
Adriana was sitting next to her and joined in the call. “Over here.”
Jenny and Kensei walked over to join them.
“Hey,” Adriana said. Her turquoise-blue eyes met Jenny’s.
“Hi,” Jenny said as she set her tray down next to Billo. “This feels a lot like high school.” Her Topo pressed against her ribs as she sat down on the bench. She pulled it out and set it on the table. The others had already done the same.
“Yeah, a bit.” Adriana chuckled.
“So, you’re both Kiwis?” Kensei looked at Jenny and Adriana.
“We are,” Adriana said.
“It’s a beautiful country.” Billo pushed a strand of silver-tipped hair behind her ear and fixed her dark eyes on Adriana. “What part do you live in?”
“We both live in Wellington.” Adriana looked at Jenny. “On the upper island.”
Jenny tried some of the salty fish first and found that it tasted excellent when combined with the taro. It was unbelievably delicious. Maybe her newly healed tongue had more taste buds now.
Adriana looked at Jenny. “How’d you end up with Cabin, Jenny? Did Michael give you a VRGo puzzle too?”
“Michael?” Jenny choked and forced a bite of fish down her throat. “The barista at the Black Rabbit?”
“No, he’s a waiter at the Imperial Dodo.” Adriana furrowed her brow, then she shrugged and laughed. “I guess he has two jobs.”
“Yeah, he gave me the puzzle. I thought it was a birthday present at first.”
“Oh, happy birthday.” Adriana smiled.
“Thanks.” Jenny returned her smile and grew uncomfortable with the attention. She stared down at her food.
Adriana didn’t seem to notice and turned to Kensei. “And how about you, Ken?”
“Hmm?” Kensei looked up from his Topo.
“How’d you end up here?” Jenny repeated Adriana’s question.
“Oh.” Kensei swallowed. “Well, that message from Lin said there were boundless opportunities to learn.” He held his Topo up. “I mean, look at this thing, it’s so cool. Plus, this may be the only chance I ever get to travel to outer space.”
Billo stared across the room at Sadi, who was collecting empty trays from tables. Billo leaned across the table and whispered to Adriana. “I heard Sadi had to take extra kitchen duty.”
“Yeah,” Adriana said. “I wonder what she did.”
Jenny looked down at her plate.
“I bet it’s because she attacked Jenny,” Kensei said.
“What, really?” Billo looked at Jenny. “You didn’t mention that last night.”
Jenny squirmed in her chair. “I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Sadi was distraught, and she acted out.”
“Tell us,” Billo said.
Jenny recounted the events surrounding yesterday’s lunch, including how she had stumbled over a dead body in the woods.
“And you think it was Trey?”
Jenny shrugged. “I have no idea, but Sadi was pretty upset.”
“That’s awful,” Adriana said.
“So, she can create pain?” Billo asked. “I always wondered what her ability was.”
“Not exactly create,” Jenny said. “She can enhance or decrease pain, even the memory of it.”
“Well,” Billo said, “if Trey really is dead, I can see why she’d be upset.”
Adriana narrowed her eyes at Billo. “But Sadi shouldn’t have taken it out on Jenny.”
“Still”—Billo looked at Jenny—“I think you should avoid her. She’s not the type to let go of a grudge.”
“I’ll try, as long as she leaves me alone.” Jenny shrugged. “That reminds me. I meant to look for articles about the attack in Acacia City.” She pulled out her Topo and searched for the Acacia City raid. From the results, she found a news article that looked promising. “Look at this.” Jenny leaned closer to Kensei. “It’s an article about the raid last night.” They read together in silence for a minute. “It looks like the only thing the Risi stole was that Waypoint in the basement.”
Kensei furrowed his brow. “What would giants want with a Waypoint?”
“Not the giants, the person in the black hood. You know...” She tilted her head toward Sadi.
“Yeah, I know who you mean, but what’s she going to do with one?”
Jenny shrugged. “Maybe she’s working for someone else?”
“It’s still not proof of anything.”
“I know.” Jenny twisted her fork through her last morsel of food.
“We’re not here to find out why the giants raided Acacia City, we’re here to unlock the Terminal.” Kensei fed Leon a spoonful of cooked banana.
“I know,” Jenny huffed and looked from Sadi to the Selkans. The older one waved his arms as he spoke and gestured with his long fingers. “Do you think we’ll actually be able to save them?” she asked the table.
“I don’t know,” Billo answered. “Lin’s positivity is infectious.”
“But the Selkans are nervous,” Adriana added.
“It feels like we’re on borrowed time.” Billo sipped her drink.
“What’s the big hurry?” Kensei asked.
Adriana looked at Kensei. “Their captors could come after them at any moment.”
Bill
o set her fork down and pushed her empty tray to the end of the table. “I just hope one of us wins.” She looked over at the grays’ table.
“It’s not a contest,” Adriana said. “It’s about saving the Selkans.”
“Of course it’s a contest.” Billo set her chin in her hands and locked her dark eyes on Adriana. “And you have the best chance of any of us to win.”
“Yeah right,” Sadi said. She stood at the end of their table with a handful of trays. “None of you deserves the Riftkey.”
“What do you mean by ‘you’?” Jenny asked.
“Astreans. All of you from that other universe. It belongs to us.”
Jenny rolled her eyes.
“We are all on the same side,” Adriana said.
“Yeah,” Kensei said, “we’re all trying to save the Selkans.”
“I don’t care about the aliens. I just want the power and authority that comes from being a Terminal master.”
“What authority, where’d you hear that?” Billo asked.
“From Trey.”
“And who’d he hear it from?”
“I don’t know”—Sadi adjusted her thick-rimmed black glasses—“and I guess I never will.”
The table was silent. Nobody wanted to respond to Sadi.
“I’m going to win the Riftkey.” Sadi glared at each of them as she gathered the empty trays. “It’s a fact.” She left the table, carrying the trays to the cleaning station
“She gives me the willies,” Kensei said once Sadi was out of earshot.
“Can you imagine her with the Riftkey?” Billo asked.
“I’d rather not,” Adriana said.
“I’d try to win the competition just to keep her from getting it,” Billo said.
They all nodded.
Jenny looked around the room and saw the same look Sadi had given them reflected on a dozen other faces. “It seems like we’re not entirely welcome here.”
“It’s true,” Billo said. “Some people believe the Riftkey belongs to this Earth, but everyone knows about Astrea. She’s the original Æon and she came to our Earth.”
Lin and Lance walked up to their table. “Jenny, Kensei, come with us, please.”
“Are we in trouble?” Jenny wiped her mouth with a paper napkin.
“No.” Lin cocked her head. “May I introduce you to the Selkans.”
Jenny and Kensei nodded, and Lin led them across the room to the aliens.
The Selkans rose from their bench. They wiggled great mustaches that seemed to grow right out of their noses. Short brown fur covered their bodies.
“This is Jenny Tripper and Kensei Drake,” Lin said. “The newest recruits to our program.”
“I am Thork’l, chief of our clan,” the older Selkan said. He wore a green coat over a white shirt and brown trousers. Blue facial tattoos marked Thork’l’s eyebrows and chin. “And this is my son, Kett’l.”
Jenny’s eyebrows rose. Kett’l’s eyes were dichromatic, like hers, but light and dark brown. They shook hands. The Selkans had long, dexterous fingers webbed up to the first knuckle. Their fingernails were the shape of almonds, and their skin felt like warm leather.
“We had a breakthrough in locating the virosuit this morning,” Lin said.
“That’s great news,” Thork’l said.
“What is your progress on the Locator?” Lance asked.
“I’ll have it finished by this afternoon,” Kett’l said, wiping his large hands on his mechanic’s coveralls.
“Excellent,” Lance said. “We are on a path to success.”
“It would seem so,” Thork’l said.
“Are you ready?” Lance asked.
Thork’l nodded.
Lance turned and addressed the room. “May I have your attention, please?” He spoke clearly and with authority. He waited until the room had gone quiet. “I am sure that most of you have heard rumors of the raid on Acacia City.” A murmur spread across the room, and he waited for silence to return. “For those of you who have not, last night, a group of Risi entered through the Waypoint and attacked the Department of Transportation. Cabin has offered aid to the city for reparation and to assist those harmed during the raid.”
“How many casualties were there?” a woman in a black uniform asked.
“Twenty-four wounded and one confirmed fatality.”
The crowd murmured. “Just one? That doesn’t seem right. These giants are brutal.”
“Who was it?” someone in a blue uniform called out. “Who died?”
Lance took a long breath and lowered his head. “I regret to inform you that it was one of our own. We recovered the body of Randolph Torres the Third from Esperanza Woods. For those who wish to honor his memory, we are holding a memorial service tonight.”
People gasped and looked to Sadi.
Jenny sent feelings of compassion toward the gray-uniformed girl. We don’t need to be rivals, she thought. After all, I don’t feel animosity toward you. Can’t you see, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Lin stepped forward with her hands clasped and her head lowered.
“While this news is tragic,” Lance continued, “it’s important that we remain focused on the bigger picture. Yes, we lost one life, but hundreds more still depend on the success of this mission. For the first time in Earth’s history, Æons have gathered together for a common cause.”
Lance looked around at the room. “Some of you come from our own organization.” He gestured toward the table of gray-uniformed recruits. Aindriu cheered and pumped a fist. The other grays applauded.
“Others have come from the armed forces,” Lance continued, and indicated the table of black uniforms. Two saluted, but the other three just nodded their heads. “Many of you completed the VRGo puzzle.” He nodded to the table in the middle of the room filled with blue uniforms. This was the largest and most eclectic group by far. It was composed of people of many ages and races. They clapped and cheered at their announcement. “And there are those who traveled a great distance to be here.” He nodded toward Jenny and the other white-uniformed recruits.
Billo whooped, and Adriana clapped. Jenny waved and felt her cheeks grow warm.
“We are all here to save the Selkans.” Lance opened his arms. “But there is more. By unlocking the Terminal, you will usher the entire solar system into a new age and shape the future of galactic relations.”
“No pressure,” Billo whispered.
“But only one of you can wield the Riftkey.” Lance looked slowly around the room. “May the best Æon win.”
The room clapped and cheered.
Now I know why Lin wanted me to keep the Riftkey a secret. Jenny touched her burstepi. It’s like showing up to the race with the gold medal. It’s not fair to the other competitors.
Thork’l stepped forward. His deep voice boomed across the room, and everyone went silent. “My people and I thank you all for your dedication and hard work. You have taken us in, shielded us, and given us hope.” He placed his hand on Kett’l’s shoulder. “Without the Riftkey my son constructed, none of us would be here. We would still be slaves without hope for freedom.” He looked across the room, meeting people’s eyes one by one. “And you wouldn’t have the opportunity to unlock the Terminal.”
“Good luck,” Kett’l said.
“Thank you.” Lin stepped forward. “Now, let me introduce you to our newest recruits, Kensei Drake and Jenny Tripper.” She looked toward them. “Kensei is our first recruit to bond with the emerald key.” The crowd murmured with excitement. “And Jenny has bonded with Astrea’s original key.”
The room let out a collective gasp. Jenny felt dozens of eyes scrutinizing her, judging her. She touched the burstepi again. I’m going to win this contest, Jenny thought, and prove that I deserve this Riftkey.
21
Expedition
Jack sat on the edge of his bed. He yawned and thumbed a sore muscle in his back. Last night, instead of sleeping, his brain had replayed all the
poor decisions that had led him to this undersea prison. He looked over at the oval window that provided a view of the ocean and shuddered. He had discovered that he had a paralyzing fear of drowning. Living aboard a sunken spaceship kept him in a constant state of dread. Well, at least I’ve got these coffee beans to take back home with me, Jack thought as he examined the slice in the shopping bag for the hundredth time. That coffee from Penwales yesterday really was incredible. I wonder if all Earth’s coffee is that good. They might have some in the mess hall. Jack stood up. Alright, maybe a mug of coffee will settle my stomach.
Jack left his cabin and took the stairs down to the mess hall. As he walked, he studied the ship’s interior. There’s no evidence of construction anywhere, he thought. Not even a stray cable. And look at that: Even though the hallway curves, every wall panel lines up precisely with the ceiling and floor. This ship has remarkable engineering.
Inside the mess hall, people sat clustered by the color of their uniforms. Six people in gray uniforms sat on one side. Jack recognized Aindriu among them, the muscular boy with a shaved head. Five people in black sat in the back. They were all young, no more than twenty-four, Jack estimated. Then there were about twenty people in blue uniforms, who sat in the middle of the room. Half were young, like the other recruits. The others likely worked for Cabin. He noticed grease stains on a few of their outfits, and four others armed with holstered pistols. Some sort of security.
Jack’s stomach grumbled as he smelled food. He rushed past the food bins and found the beverage station. What would Cabin need protection from? He filled a white ceramic mug with coffee and looked over at the Selkans. Probably not the aliens or the recruits. No, it’s more likely that they’re armed in case of someone like me. Which means they must be aware of a security breach. He inhaled the heavenly aroma of the coffee. They might already know that Mister Torres was a mole. That would mean that I’m under suspicion.
Jack sat down at an empty table in the far corner of the room. If he were going to be around people, then he’d make sure that no one could sneak up behind him. They gave me a blue uniform, so they consider me an employee, but it’s still just a disguise.
The Key of Astrea Page 23