The Key of Astrea

by Nicholas Marson

  Victus’s contact, Trey, had supposedly updated every relevant database with records of Jack’s service. However, it was doubtful that his quick hack would survive a careful examination. Good thing I left my gun back on the plane, Jack thought. That girl, Jenny, caught me talking to Victus. Did she hear anything incriminating? Did she tell anyone? Jack shook his head. No, they would have already questioned me if she had. Not that it matters. My role in this mission is complete, and Victus is on his way. All I have to do is lie low until he gets here.

  Jack took a sip from his mug and sighed in delight. It was creamy, slightly nutty, and much higher quality than anything back on the station. He took another sip. A better brewing process could reduce the bitterness. For a moment, Jack allowed himself to daydream. He pictured himself back in the loft above his shop. Through the skylight, he could see ships gathering inside the Terminal.

  A group of people entered the room and broke Jack’s reverie. It was Mazu and Lin with a group of four kids in white uniforms. He recognized Jenny and Kensei, but not the other two. Lance walked up to greet them, then Lin broke off while the others got their food. After Mazu filled her tray, she split from the group. Jack watched the athletic, dark-haired woman cross the room and recalled his first meeting with her. He smiled. No other woman had literally sent him head over heels the way she had.

  Mazu turned away from the food bins and walked toward him. “Mind if I sit here?”

  Jack’s eyes went wide and he sat up straight. “Uh, yeah, I mean, no.” He forced a smile. “I don’t mind. It’s a free galaxy, after all.” Jack’s smile faded as he realized how unusual the phrase would be to someone here, on Earth.

  Mazu didn’t seem to notice. She set down her tray and sat across from him. Jack looked at her mug and made a mental note that she liked cream with her coffee.

  “You know,” Mazu said as she leaned toward Jack. Her lips were mere centimeters away from his ear. “For someone who wanted a job with us,” she whispered, “you’re sure acting like you don’t want to be here.”

  The scent of her skin was raw honey, and her hair smelled of lemongrass. Her lips were pink, and her skin was like porcelain. “What do you mean?”

  “Hiding in the corner like this. Why don’t you sit with the others?” She motioned toward the tables filled with blue uniforms.

  Jack shrugged. “I’m used to being alone, plus I’m a bit on edge.”

  Mazu cocked her head. “Why’s that?”

  “I don’t like being underwater.”

  “You’re from the Navy,” Mazu said. “Don’t you like the water?”

  “Sure, but I prefer to stay above it,” Jack said. “That’s why I’m a pilot.” Jack looked up and asked. “Is it really safe?”

  “Oh yeah.” Mazu twirled her hair. “Sure, there are a few leaks every now and then. The saline eats away at the seals, but as long as the pumps are working, we’ll be alright.”

  Jack gulped, and his face paled.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, just a bit homesick.” Jack thought of his dry loft back on Lan Station.

  Mazu nodded. “Where are you from?”

  “A-America,” Jack stammered. “New Madrid.”

  “Oh, I’ve always wanted to go.” Mazu took a sip of her coffee. “What did you do there?”

  “Lots of odd jobs.” His knee bounced with nervous energy. “But I mostly repaired boats.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah.” Jack became more animated as he weaved truth into his lie. “I had my own shop.”

  Mazu smiled and leaned forward. “What made you come out here?”

  “I received an offer I couldn’t refuse.” Jack clenched his jaw. Sometimes the truth was more painful than a lie.

  After finishing her breakfast, Mazu pushed her tray aside and spoke candidly. She talked in detail about the scientific aspects of the mission, like the ecosystem and biology of Selkans and their islands. She was a practicing exobiologist, and being able to study a new alien species up close was a dream come true. As she probed into his background, Jack stuck to the truth as often as possible, altering it just enough to fit into the Earth-based role he had assumed. Jack sighed in disappointment as Lance called for attention. He wasn’t sure what to think about their leader. Lance had a much older presence than his appearance would suggest. Jack’s eyes went wide. Could Lance be a Tyran?

  The Tyran’s were composed of two distinct races. One that looked identical to humans. The other had pointed ears and a single large bump on their forehead. Both races shared that same ageless face and six fingers on each hand. Jack stared at Lance’s hands as he recalled their handshake from last night. I think he had six-fingers.

  Jack had only encountered one other Tyran in person, his former hegemon, his home planet’s leader. Jack had received a medal from the hegemon for his service to Balk during the war. He still remembered the ageless appearance of her face and the six fingers on each hand.

  As the announcements wrapped up, Lance approached Jack’s table with one of the black-uniformed crew members, a dark-skinned man built like a cargo freighter. Jack glanced at the firearm on the man’s hip.

  So, I am to be guarded. Jack’s heart picked up a beat, and his armpits began to sweat.

  “Mister Spriggan,” Lance said. “How was your first night aboard the Endeavor?”

  Jack wiped his hands on his pants and stood up. The last thing he wanted was for this tall, six-fingered Tyran to tower over him. Still, Jack only came up to Lance’s chin. “Honestly, not great.”

  Lance chuckled. “It can take some getting used to.” His blue eyes scanned Jack’s face. “Mister Ward told me that you were in Acacia City to meet Mister Randolph. What business did you have with him?”

  “He said he had a job for me.”

  “Oh, and how did you know him?”

  “He served with me in the Navy.”

  “I didn’t know that he served.”

  Jack forced himself to maintain eye contact. “Yes, sir. After retiring, we kept in touch through social media. After my divorce…” Jack shifted his feet uncomfortably and glanced at Mazu. Lance noticed the look and lifted an eyebrow. “Well, I was on hard times, so he offered me a job.”

  “Did he tell you what this job was?”

  Jack looked around the room. His gaze settled on the Selkans for a second. Jack jerked his head back to Lance. “He told me the position was for a pilot but that he would only give me the details in person. I had no idea it would lead me here.” Jack had spent a good part of his life reading cues and tells. It was an essential skill as a fighter. Something about LaGrange had his guard up.

  “I suppose no one could have predicted the attack in Acacia City,” Lance said. “It’s a good thing you were there.” He reached into his coat and pulled out a Topo. “Can you explain why your picture is on Trey’s Topo?” Lance asked.

  Jack looked at his picture on the screen and shrugged. He hadn’t prepared for this, and Jack searched his mind for a suitable answer. “You tell me.”

  “The picture itself isn’t suspicious.” Lance returned the Topo to his coat. “But the data attached to it is quantum encrypted. Do you know why Mister Randolph would have encrypted this message?”

  “No, sir.” Jack shrugged. “But that’s a recent picture from my social profile.”

  Lance rubbed his chin as he studied Jack’s face. “If you are going to stay on my ship, I will need you to do some errands for us.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jack said. “I’m here for a job, after all.”

  “I need you to take the company plane on a supply run after breakfast. Mister Nichols will accompany you.” Lance motioned toward the gun-toting man in the black uniform.

  “Hey, I’m Marcel.” The dark-skinned man held out his hand. Jack shook it.

  “And,” Lance continued, “you will accompany Miss Song on her mission.”

  Jack looked down at Mazu. She sipped her coffee and smiled back at him. “What kind of mission?” Jac
k asked.

  Mazu spoke up. “It’s an expedition through an underwater cave system about six kilometers from here.”

  Jack froze. “We’re going underwater?” He gulped.

  “Is something wrong?” Lance asked. “I assumed a Navy man like you had hours of dive training.”

  Jack rubbed his face. “No, actually, I was just a pilot. I haven’t been diving in a long time.” Actually, Jack thought, I’ve never been diving.

  “No worries.” Marcel smiled. “A child could operate a Tumlare suit.”

  22

  First Test

  Jenny nudged Kensei, “Look.” She pointed to the far corner of the room. Lance and a man in a black uniform stood next to Jack and Mazu. Even from here, Jenny could tell that Jack looked nervous. Maybe it has something to do with what I overheard him saying last night, Jenny thought.

  “What do you think they’re talking about?” Kensei asked.

  “No idea,” Jenny said. “But judging by Jack’s expression, it can’t be good.”

  A minute later, Lance and the man in the black uniform left Jack’s table. Mazu stood up and squeezed Jack’s shoulder. She said something to him before leaving the mess hall. Jack remained at the table, looking pale.

  Lin, who had been talking to the Selkans, walked over to Jenny and Kensei and asked. “Are you two ready to take your first test?”

  Jenny and Kensei looked at each other and said, “Yeah, sure.”

  Lin led them out of the room and to a large circular room directly below the mess hall. The air smelled of antiseptic, and clusters of hexagonal ceiling lights illuminated a variety of medical appliances. They walked between four mobile examination tables to a corner office in the back. On the door, a handwritten sign read, “Mazu Song, Ph.D.”

  Inside the office, posters of anatomical drawings lined the walls. Two tall hardwood bookshelves held tomes on natural studies. A couple of jars containing deep-ocean fish stood next to a taxidermied squirrel, platypus, and owl.

  Mazu sat behind a simple wooden desk. When they entered, she stood up and cleared a pile of books from one of two aluminum chairs and said. “Have a seat.”

  Jenny and Kensei sat down.

  “I just made some tea; would you like some?”

  “Yes, please,” they all answered.

  Lin took four small, floral-printed cups off a shelf and set them on the desk. Mazu lifted a white teapot and poured a green-tinted mint-and-floral fusion into the cups.

  “Thank you,” they said.

  Mazu moved a little wooden dummy aside to look at Jenny. “You’ve probably noticed some changes, wounds healed”—she looked at Kensei—“vision improved.”

  They nodded.

  “Right now, your brain is as malleable as a young child’s.”

  “We have a device called an ADD ”—Mazu leaned on her elbows—“that can condense months of training into a single session.”

  “ADD?” Jenny asked.

  “An autodidactic device,” Mazu said.

  “Automatic learning.” Kensei’s eyes widened. “You’re going to make us smarter.”

  “The concept of accelerated learning is nothing new, but the ADD is on another level.”

  Jenny lifted her cup and inhaled. The floral scent was like a mild perfume, and the mint tickled her nose. She took a sip. It was divine.

  “So, it’s like learning without doing anything?” Jenny asked.

  “It’s not quite that easy,” Mazu said. “It’s more like boot camp for your brain.”

  Kensei set down his cup after taking a sip. “When do we start?”

  “The sooner, the better,” Mazu said. “The ADD has a strong magnet, so you’ll have to leave your metal belongings here.” She picked up a wooden bowl and set it on the desk.

  Jenny pulled her mother’s amulet and Astrea’s key from around her neck and dropped them in the bowl. Hesitantly, she unstrapped her burstepi, which Mazu set behind her desk. Finally, Jenny removed her earrings and dropped them into the bowl. “Do you have any other piercings?” Mazu looked Jenny up and down.

  “No.” Jenny looked at her sideways. “That’s all.” She smiled at the thought of Billo having to remove all her jewelry.

  Kensei placed his key in the bowl and set his backpack on the desk, and Leon’s pink nose peeked through the flap. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered. “You’ll be safe here.”

  Mazu nodded and stashed the bowl behind her desk. “Follow me.”

  Mazu led them a few doors down the hall and entered a room on the opposite side of the sickbay. Yellow signs warned of a powerful magnet, and three large screens displayed controls and readouts. A wall divided the room in half, and an enormous light-gray machine was visible through a window.

  “It looks like a PET scan.” Jenny had seen a positron-emission tomography scanner while her mom was in the hospital.

  “Yes, but unlike your PET scan, this can read and write.” Mazu tapped one of the large screens, and Jenny felt the machine hum through the wall.

  “What do you mean by ‘write’?” Kensei asked. “Are you going to brainwash us?”

  “Nothing as droll as that,” Lin said.

  “First,” Mazu said as she tapped at the displays, “we’ll identify the domains of the brain associated with learnable tasks. Once we have a map of your brain, we’ll create new connections based on logical progressions of your existing model.”

  “You make it sound like we’re computers,” Kensei said.

  “That’s not too far off,” Lin said. “After all, our brains are organic computers.”

  “Now”—Mazu tapped the screen and the ADD machine hummed—“who wants to go first?”

  Jenny gulped and held up her hand. If she was going to win this contest, beat Sadi, and prove she was worthy of the Riftkey, she had to be brave. “I will.”

  “Wonderful,” Lin said and opened the door to the machine. It was a big gray tunnel with a plastic halo on one end. The halo looked like one of those old-fashioned hair dryers from beauty salons.

  Lin smiled and said. “Have a seat.”

  As Jenny sat down, Lin lowered the plastic halo around her head. It tightened around her skull, and her scalp prickled with energy. Jenny wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and looked up at Lin. “Have you done this?”

  “No. Unfortunately, my brain’s too old.” Lin tapped her head. “I’m stuck with what I’ve got.”

  Jenny watched Kensei’s pale face through the control-room window. “You look more worried than I feel.”

  He let out a forced laugh. “I don’t like small spaces.”

  “If you’re claustrophobic,” Mazu said, “we can medicate you.”

  “No, that’s okay, I think I’ll be alright.”

  “I’m ready when you are,” Mazu said through a microphone in the control room.

  “How are you doing?” Lin asked Jenny.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Just so you know, it will get really loud, but that’s normal.”

  “Okay.” Jenny took a deep, shaky breath to calm her pounding heart. She gave Lin a thumbs-up. “I’m ready.”

  Lin reclined the seat until it became a table. The autodidactic device lit up, and the table slid into the circular opening. The halo clicked and shifted her head into position. Jenny felt her head lock into place.

  Lin squeezed Jenny’s hand, then joined Mazu and Kensei behind the screens.

  “We’re synchronized,” Mazu said. The machine purred with energy, and Jenny’s head buzzed.

  A low tone sounded in her mind that slowly grew in pitch. Then, the sound became louder and drowned out all her other senses. Her mind went wild, and her body seemed to vibrate. A bright flash exploded behind her eyelids, and her mind shattered into a thousand dreams. Her eyes fluttered as she learned directional harmonic theory, the emission frequency of atoms, modal vibrational phenomena, quantum mechanics, and so much more. A peculiar tingling moved from her feet up to her head. There was an odd sensation, lik
e a shirt turning inside out.

  Suddenly, Jenny felt weightless, and she was standing in the room looking down at her own body, still in the autodidactic device. I’m having an out-of-body experience, Jenny thought. She looked down at her hands. They were made of blue light, and a shifting corona surrounded her.

  Jenny heard the sound of the machine transition into a low hum and come to a stop. There was a sensation, like a rubber band stretched to its breaking point, and she returned to her own body. A moment later, the table slid out of the device. Jenny blinked at the sudden brightness of the overhead lights.

  Lin tilted Jenny’s chair upright and lifted the halo from her head. “Well, how did it go?”

  “I feel like I just got off the world’s longest roller coaster.”

  “Sounds like fun.” Kensei chuckled weakly from the doorway.

  Jenny looked at Kensei. An aura of nervous yellow light surrounded him. “You’re glowing.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah,” Jenny replied. “It’s like your whole body is wearing a crown of golden light.”

  Lin nodded. “Previous subjects have described seeing auras. It’s nothing to worry about. It’ll wear off eventually.”

  “Okay,” Jenny said as she stood up.

  Kensei took her place and Lin lowered the halo onto his head. The chair reclined and slid into the machine.

  Jenny and Lin joined Mazu in the control room. A three-dimensional model of Kensei’s brain—in shades of blue on black—appeared on one of the two large screens. The second screen displayed schematic views from the top, sides, front, and back. Rows of statistics bordered the drawings.

  Jenny turned to Lin. “When I was in there…” She tried to recall the experience, but it was like trying to remember a dream.

  “What was it like?” Lin asked.

  Jenny kicked her foot. Did I really see myself? She remembered what Billo had said. Cabin was here to help. Billo and Adriana had powers, and if Jenny was going to find hers, then she needed to be honest. “It’s like I was outside my own body.”

  “Interesting,” Mazu said. “That's the first time I've heard of autoscopy in any of our subjects.”