The Key of Astrea

by Nicholas Marson

  Sensations teased the edge of Jack’s awareness. Strong hands reached under his arms. A muted light shone through his eyelids. Something soft pressed against his lips. His chest expanded with warm air. A repeating pressure on his chest. Jack inhaled sharply, then rolled over and coughed up cold water.

  “Jack, are you—?”

  Jack gasped. He blinked and stared into Mazu’s dark eyes. They seemed darker and deeper than before.

  Mazu sighed. “You’re alright.”

  “I’m just dandy.” Jack winced and clutched his ribs.

  Mazu chuckled. “I’m glad you’re as tough as you look.”

  Jack felt a sudden devotion to this woman who had just saved his life. For a moment, he forgot the pain. “How are you?”

  Mazu chuckled. “I’m fine.” She held up a mangled piece of brass metal. “But the Locator is busted.”

  A pit grew in Jack’s stomach. “So, the mission is a failure?”

  Mazu nodded. “But at least we’re alive.”

  Jack propped himself up on one elbow. Pain spiked through his chest as he breathed. “I’ve been knocked out in fights before, but I’ve never felt this bad.”

  “Are you okay?”

  Jack pushed on his side and felt some relief from the pain. “I’ve been better.”

  “Let me see.” Mazu moved closer and palpated his ribs with her fingers. “Well, they’re not broken. They’re probably just bruised. It will take time to heal, and it’ll hurt, but you don’t have to worry about a punctured lung.”

  “That’s some good news.”

  Mazu pressed her hand against his chest and leaned closer, searching his eyes. “Thanks for saving me.”

  Jack’s body tingled at her touch, and he felt her warm breath on his face. “You saved me too, so we’re even.” Jack’s heart beat faster.

  Suddenly, the obsidian tip of a spear appeared between them.

  Mazu lurched backward.

  Jack reached for his gun by reflex, but nothing was there. “What the...?” He looked around and saw dozens of small humanoids covered in blue phosphorescent fur. The humanoid creatures had enormous ears. Warrior types aimed their spears at Jack and Mazu, while worker types carved the dead worm into chunks using flaked obsidian tools. “What are they?”

  “I think they’re Alfur,” Mazu said. “I’ve heard Lin talk about one named Heather.”

  Two of the warriors pried Jack and Mazu apart with their spears. Pain lanced up Jack’s leg as he gained his feet.

  “Well, what do they want?” Jack felt a pressure on his back. He gasped and twisted away as an obsidian spear pierced his suit and pricked his skin. Jack stumbled forward. “I get the point.” Jack limped away from the pool alongside Mazu.

  Alfur led them along the stream to a rectangular doorway in a smooth rock wall. They passed through the opening and into a huge cavern that smelled of sulfur. A thin layer of water covered the entire floor, and each step stirred up a cloud of bioluminescence. The ceiling glowed red, and Jack could feel the heat of it. To their right, carved from solid rock, was a pyramid with statues of giant worms guarding a dark door. To their left, hundreds of ladders led from the ground floor to holes in the wall where Alfur, both young and old, gawked at the strangers.

  Alfur warriors guided them toward the left wall and pushed them toward a hole at ground level. Jack batted a spear away. “I’m not going in there.” He arched his back as a spear tip pricked him. He glared backward. The Alfur pointed at the door and yelled. Jack looked at Mazu, who nodded. Fine, he thought. He was in no condition to fight anyway. He slouched his shoulders and walked into the dark cavern.

  Once they were inside, a group of workers rolled a massive circular stone into place behind them. Jack looked into Mazu’s eyes as the cavern’s dim light slivered and disappeared.

  Jack slid down the cold stone wall until he sat on the rough rock floor. He closed his eyes and pictured himself back in his pod thousands of light-years away. But there was no chance that Victus would find him here. Jack’s only hope was for Cabin to find them.

  Reluctantly, Jack opened his eyes and saw a faint blue glow emanating from bioluminescent algae on the ceiling. He stood, wincing at the pain in his leg and ribs, and followed the light to the back of their prison.

  Mazu sat in the far corner. Her shiny black hair reflected the blue light of the algae. She was crying into her folded arms. Jack felt helpless as he watched this powerful woman brought low. He racked his brain for the source of her emotions. “I’m sorry about Marcel.”

  “He did his job,” Mazu said into her folded arms.

  “Yeah.” Jack pictured the worm clamping onto Marcel’s head. “Poor bastard.”

  “I’m sorry.” She looked up at him then. “It’s my fault we’re here. It’s my fault you’re here.”

  Guilt spread over Jack like a burning blanket. If you only knew. “No,” Jack said and knelt in front of her. He placed his rough hands on her shoulders. “No,” he whispered. “You’re a good person. You’re trying to save the Selkans. You didn’t know about those things.”

  Mazu looked up. Her eyes were wet, and blue light reflected off her tear-covered cheeks. “That was some quick thinking up there.”

  Jack looked away. It would have been simpler if I had died back there. But the time for simplicity had passed. Time to be strong. If not for me, then for her. Jack forced a smile onto his face and turned to face her. “I was just looking out for myself.”

  “I don’t get you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Sometimes you seem so far away. Then, other times, you look at me like I’m the only person in the room.”

  “Oh.” Jack looked down and picked at one of the hard plates on his wetsuit. “I don’t know what I’m doing here.”

  “I know what you mean. Unlocking the Terminal. Retrieving the virosuit. It’s all so unreal.”

  “That’s not exactly what I meant, but close enough. What’s the virosuit for anyway?”

  “According to Lance, we need it to operate the Terminal after it’s unlocked.”

  Of course, Lance would know, he’s a Tyran. Jack’s face heated up as he thought of the aliens. “So, you need it to save the Selkans?”

  “Yes.”

  Jack slammed his hand against the wall. “Do you really believe that they’re being exploited for some supernatural ability?”

  “I know it sounds crazy.”

  “What if we’re on the wrong side?”

  Mazu searched his eyes. “I understand your doubt, but I’ve seen them teleport.”

  So, the Selkans are the secret weapon, Jack thought. “And if Tyr can somehow use that ability, then they’d be invincible in combat. That’s how they ended the First Galactic War.”

  “By enslaving an entire race of people,” Mazu countered. “They’ve only maintained peace by sacrificing innocent lives.”

  A foul taste grew in Jack’s mouth. A week ago, he had considered himself politically neutral. Now, his galactic pride was eroding. “You’re right. No matter what their reasoning is, it’s not right to enslave anyone.”

  “That’s why we need to unlock the Terminal and reveal Tyr’s secret to the galaxy.”

  I don’t want another war, Jack thought, but I have no love for Tyr either. Especially not Admiral Vae Victus. Something inside him delighted at the idea of flying his ship in battle again.

  Mazu shivered and nestled against him. Jack pulled her close, and she pushed her head under his chin. Within moments, she was asleep, and Jack followed a moment later.

  30

  Final Test

  The skylight painted the gym floor in shifting hues of blue light. Along the walls were tables adorned with fruits, vegetables, cheese, crackers, and meats. A buzz of excited conversation filled the space. The contestants formed a line that led away from the testing-room door. The gray uniforms were first in line, while Jenny and the other white uniforms stood near the back.

  “I carried that in.” Kensei po
inted to a massive pedestal in the center of the gym. Kett’l and Thork’l stood on either side, and the newly crafted Riftkey rested upon it. Around them were four guards in black uniforms with handguns hanging from their belts.

  “Patience, everyone, please.” Lin Song stood at the head of the line and held the eager recruits back. She wore a loose white shirt with floral embellishments on its wide sleeves. “We’ll begin testing at 07:00.”

  The clock on the wall read 06:56. Kensei stood on tiptoe and counted the number of people ahead of them. “We might not get our chance until lunchtime.”

  “If we’re lucky,” Billo said.

  “Don’t worry,” Adriana said. “There will be plenty of time.”

  “I hope so.” Jenny popped a blueberry in her mouth.

  At 07:00, Lin turned and addressed everyone in line. “The time has come to put your skills to the test. May the best Æon win.”

  Lin opened the door and Sadi stepped inside the maze room. Four large screens displayed a live feed of each maze. Lin walked up to Jenny and the other white uniforms. “I’m sorry that you four got the least amount of time to practice, but I want you to know that I’m proud of you. You’ve each made such excellent progress.”

  “Thank you, Lin,” Jenny said. “Has there been any word from Lance?”

  “No.” Lin looked back at the entrance to the gym. “I can’t believe he would miss the testing.”

  “He’ll turn up,” Adriana said.

  “Yeah,” Kensei said. “I’m sure he’ll want to see who gets the Riftkey.”

  “Yeah…” Lin pondered. “Well, good luck! Not that you need it. You all will do great”

  Lin walked over to the pedestal and talked to Thork’l and Kett’l. Meanwhile, Sadi worked her way through the first maze. Her efficiency impressed Jenny. Sadi soon completed the perception test, then the radiation maze by freezing all the water. But, she struggled on the electromagnetic test and failed to complete the gravity maze in time.

  The scoreboard updated as Sadi exited the room. She’d earned 435 points, a new high score. Jenny’s heart sank. How am I supposed to beat that? It was more than twice her own score of 198.

  “Damn,” Kensei said. “That’s a high bar.”

  “Don’t worry, we can do it,” Adriana said.

  “You can do it.” Billo looked at Adriana. “I’m sure.”

  After Aindriu’s test, he left the maze room and approached them. Jenny’s muscles clenched in preparation. Leon screeched at the muscular man. Aindriu pushed between them and assembled a cracker sandwich from the snack table.

  “Your pet really doesn’t like him,” Adriana whispered to Kensei as Aindriu walked away.

  “Yeah, I can’t guess why,” Kensei said sarcastically.

  “Maybe Leon knows something we don’t,” Jenny said.

  It had been three hours since they’d entered the gym. The butterflies in Jenny’s stomach grew more restless after each challenger. She struggled to keep doubt from her mind, but it kept creeping in. It didn’t help that Sadi’s pale face grew smugger as each recruit tried and failed to surpass her.

  “Well, I’m next,” Billo said. “Wish me luck.”

  “Good luck.” Jenny turned toward the screen.

  Billo inserted her key into the brass plate on the first test box. She clumsily completed that maze, but she made up for it on the second test by freezing all the water on one side of the box and pushing the ball to its finish.

  If I’m going to win, Jenny thought, then I’ll need to create a shortcut like that. The first test is a mystery. The people who achieved terrific scores just seemed really good at it. They never missed a turn or lost their momentum.

  Billo did poorly on the electromagnetic maze and skipped the gravity test altogether. As she stepped out of the room, her name climbed to the fourteenth position. That put her three places higher than Jenny.

  “Good job,” Jenny said.

  Billo shrugged and stood next to Adriana.

  “I guess I’m up now,” Kensei said, then entered the room before anyone could wish him luck.

  Jenny found herself tilting her body in time with the red ball as Kensei guided it to the golden cage. Next, Kensei muddled through the radiation test by freezing columns of water. He failed to finish the electromagnetic maze, but he shone on the gravity test. The pieces flew toward the green ball, and he quickly exposed the golden cage.

  Kensei’s name surged up the leaderboard to fifth place. He stumbled out of the testing room and leaned against the wall. Jenny and Adriana rushed to help him.

  “Are you alright?” Adriana asked.

  “Yeah, just a little dizzy.”

  “Good job in there, you made it to fifth place!” Jenny grabbed Kensei’s purple hat and tousled his hair.

  “Stop it.” Kensei grabbed his Lakers hat and pulled it down to his ears.

  Adriana squeezed his shoulder. “That’s impressive for your third attempt.”

  Kensei leaned his head backward. “Still not good enough to win.”

  “Well, I hope I do as good as you,” Jenny said, “but I’ll probably just humiliate myself.”

  “I doubt that,” Adriana said as she approached the door. “My turn.”

  People set their food down and watched as Adriana stepped into the testing room.

  Jenny turned to look at the screen. Like Sadi, Adriana rolled the ball through the first maze with high efficiency.

  “Her control is amazing,” Billo said from Jenny’s side.

  “Yeah,” Jenny and Kensei agreed.

  Like Billo, she was able to freeze part of the second test. It seemed that only Sadi could freeze the whole maze. Instead of taking the electromagnetic test next, Adriana walked over to the gravity maze.

  That’s right, Jenny thought. Adriana has temporary blindness after using her ability. She must be saving the electromagnetic for last. Jenny watched her half-sister struggle to move the green ball around the gravity maze. She obviously gave it her full effort, but she still failed to complete the maze in time. What is it about that test that so many people have trouble with? Jenny wondered.

  Finally, Adriana inserted her key into the electromagnetic maze. As she enabled one of the laser devices, she used her power to form two portals inside the cube. The laser passed through one and out the other. It struck the trapdoor and released the crystal ball into the golden cage.

  The gym fell silent as Adriana groped her way to the door. The scoreboard updated, showing that she had scored 430 points. It was a fantastic number, but not enough to beat Sadi’s score of 435.

  Adriana stepped out of the room and heard the silence in the gym. “I didn’t get it, did I?”

  Jenny took her sister by the arm and guided her out. “No. I’m sorry.” It would take a miracle to beat Sadi now, Jenny thought as she looked to the middle of the gym where the gray uniforms crowded around the Riftkey.

  After a minute, Adriana blinked as her sight returned. Her eyes met Jenny’s. “Good luck, sister. Remember to breathe.”

  “Yeah,” Jenny said. “Okay.”

  “That’s all she’ll be able to remember,” Sadi said and laughed along with the other gray uniforms. “I’d take the Riftkey now, but I want to see the look on your face after you’ve lost.”

  “Are you ready, Jenny?” Lin asked.

  Jenny nodded. Anxiety was causing her stomach to do backflips, and she could feel everyone’s eyes on her. She was so nervous that she felt like vomiting. Okay, let’s get this over with. She thought as she hurried toward the door and stepped inside.

  As the door swung shut, the outside world disappeared. Jenny took some time to gather her wits. This is for you, Mom. And, Bea, I’ll prove to you that I’m more than just a fortune-teller.

  Jenny inserted her key into the first box. As the walls to the perception test became transparent, Jenny quickly scouted a path through the maze. She tilted the table, and the ball rolled. Too fast. It bounced off a wall before she gained control and direct
ed it down the next lane.

  I’m clumsy. I know I can do better.

  Jenny remembered Lin’s words: “A blind man takes a stumbling path through a room, but a sighted man can choose the correct path before taking the first step.”

  Jenny knew that Lin wasn’t talking about vision. Lin meant for Jenny to use her new sense, the one that heard tones and formed patterns in her mind. Maybe I should try the Pulse as Kett’l taught me. Jenny focused on the ball and hummed in her mind.

  Thump—thump—thump, beat Jenny’s heart. She felt the texture of her uniform and heard the soft whoosh of the air ventilation. Thump…

  The beat of her heart seemed to stop, and the ball slowed to a crawl. A red line appeared ahead of it and showed a bouncing path down the maze. What’s going on? She stopped the Pulse, and her heartbeat returned to a normal, thump—thump—thump. The ball returned to normal speed and bounced down the path that the red line indicated.

  Jenny smiled. This must be the perception shortcut. No wonder I couldn’t see anyone else doing it. She started the Pulse again. Thump… The ball slowed to a crawl again, and the red line appeared. Now I have enough control to make this perfect. With her perception of time slowed, she guided the red ball down each track with meticulous precision until it reached the golden cage.

  Mazu was right, Jenny thought, the shortcut on the first maze will affect my time on the other mazes. She went to the next maze and used the Pulse. With her increased precision, Jenny guided the ball through the maze on a thin sheet of ice. She realized now that it had only looked like the other contestants were able to freeze one entire side of the radiation test. Sadi must have even more control to appear to freeze the entire cube. Jenny then used the same Pulse strategy on the next two tests. She felt good about her performance, but was it enough to beat Sadi? Jenny took her key and walked out of the testing room. As she opened the door, the sound of applause surprised her.

  Kensei led the entire gym in a chant: “Jenny, Jenny, Jenny.” Some added, “Astrea, Astrea, Astrea.” To represent their universe.