“Yeah, it’s rising up through the floor.”
“That means they scuttled my ship,” Lance said.
Jack eased himself out of the Waypoint. The water came up to his ankles, but the bodysuit he donned for Mazu’s expedition kept it from reaching his skin.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Kensei said as he rushed for the exit.
“Wait.” Jack grabbed his arm. “There might be soldiers out there.”
“I can find out.” Adriana’s eyes rolled back in her head.
Suddenly, two windows crystallized in midair. One moved through the door while the other displayed dark hallways lit with red emergency lights. Murky water covered the floor. Adriana ran through the maze of corridors and up to the next level. The sickbay was empty but showed signs of recent use. Blood-soaked bandages and first-aid supplies littered every surface.
Adriana’s portal moved to the next floor and into the mess hall. It showed tables with abandoned trays of food but no signs of life. Jack’s stomach growled at the sight of food. The Alfur didn’t starve Mazu and him, but a diet of insects didn’t fill his needs. Mazu, however, had eaten everything they provided and claimed that the insects were an excellent source of protein.
The water now reached his calves, Jack noted.
Adriana’s portal now showed the gym. There was a sign of battle here. Pools of blood had dried on the shiny wooden floor. Adriana entered the control center next. Broken glass and electronics littered the floor, but there were still no signs of life.
The water was now up to Jack’s knees.
Adriana’s portal climbed up the stairwell and out into the sky. Jack had to shade his eyes from the sudden blast of sunlight. He squinted against the light and saw two large and dark spaceplanes parked on the gray platform. One belonged to Tyr, and the other was Jack’s plane, the Pepper. There was also the first signs of life. Three Tyran soldiers in black uniforms and a red marine in a hypersuit walked among the planes. In the background, two black ships hovered in midair over the Selkans’ islands.
Suddenly, one of the hovering Tyran ships fired a volley of plasmablasts at an island. A geyser of dirt and water flew into the air, and mud swirled on the ocean’s surface. The room plunged into darkness. Adriana leaned back and rubbed her eyes.
“The Endeavor is all clear,” Jenny said. “We should go.”
“Agreed, Miss Tripper,” Lance said.
The ship groaned and tilted under the weight of the rising seawater. Jack caught himself against the wall as the sea level reached his groin. He pushed off the wall and leaned to one side as he followed Lance. By the time they reached the stairs, the water was up to his waist. He ran up the stairs and leaned against the wall to catch his breath.
“It’s dry up here,” Kensei said.
“For now,” Jenny added.
“I just remembered something,” Jack said. “Every ship that travels through the Terminal needs a negative-energy buffer.”
“What does that do?” Kensei asked.
“It keeps your ship from disintegrating when the Terminal activates.”
“I knew of the buffer,” Lance said, “but no ship in my fleet is equipped with one. I will try to contact them from the control room and warn them.”
Just then, Jack remembered his Jacket and watch in the moon pool room. “Go on ahead,” Jack said as he ran off toward the moon pool. “I’ll catch up with you.”
Inside, Jack spotted his bundle of clothing floating near the door. He gripped the doorway and leaned into the water. He was able to pull his jacket from the bundle, but his boots were gone. He pulled his watch from his jacket pocket and hurried to join his comrades.
Water burbled out of the lower level and chased Jack all the way to the residential level. The smell of mess hall food lingered in the air. Just a couple of days ago, this space had been so full of life. Now, the corridors were dark and dank.
Jack ran up the next stairwell to the control room. Kensei and Lance searched through a pile of broken electronics. Jenny, Adriana, and the android tried the workstations.
“That’s what you went back for?” Jenny pointed at the leather jacket.
“And this.” Jack showed her his watch and then strapped it on. “Is anything here functional?” he asked, gesturing to the electronics.
“No,” Lance said.
“You can use the subspace radio on the Pepper to contact your fleet.”
“We will have to.” Lance dropped a large black box and stood up.
“Fine, let’s get out of here before we all drown.” Jenny pointed at a trickle of water that had snaked its way into the room.
The group passed through the escape-pod room, up the stairwell, and paused at the door to the platform.
“Miss Thatcher, will you please peek through the door again?” Lance asked.
“Sure.” Adriana’s eyes rolled back in her head. Two more portals appeared in front of her, and one flew through the metal door. The stairwell lit up as daylight poured in through the display.
Two Tyran soldiers and the red marine patrolled the area.
“So, how do we get past them to your plane?” Jenny asked.
“We have to kill or distract those Tyran soldiers.”
“You have weapons.” Lance looked at Jenny, Adriana, and Kensei, who each still had handguns strapped to their belts. “Can you do it?”
“No good.” Kensei shook his head. “We used all our ammo fighting the Risi.”
“I have a gun hidden under a floor panel on my plane. If I can sneak on board…” Jack said.
“I will be your weapon,” Cobol said. “I am indestructible, after all.”
“Can you handle the soldiers long enough for Jack to get to his plane?” Lance asked.
Cobol peered through the portal. “Yes.”
There was a tremendous groan, and the stairwell jumped. Water roared below them.
Adriana gasped. “We forgot to shut the airlock.”
“Hurry.” Kensei looked over the rail at the rising water.
Jenny stood closest to the exit as Cobol opened the door.
“Wait,” Kensei said. “Weren’t there four soldiers earlier?”
But Kensei’s warning came too late. As the door swung fully open, Jack saw a Tyran soldier waiting on the other side. The soldier aimed his pistol carbine into the stairwell and fired. The sound was deafening as bullets ricocheted off Cobol’s head and shoulders, protecting those in his shadow. Jenny twisted out of the way and took cover behind the open door. Jack dropped onto the steps as rounds pinged against the wall.
Cobol charged the Tyran soldier like a silver missile. The man grunted as he hit the bridge, and his carbine flew from his hands. Cobol headbutted the man, shattering his nose in a spray of blood. Then, the android stood and lifted the man over his head. The soldier managed a short yell before hitting the water with a splash.
“Was anybody hit?” Adriana asked.
“No,” Kensei said.
“We are all okay, Miss Thatcher,” Lance said.
“Thank goodness,” Adriana said. “Jenny?”
“I’m fine.” Jenny emerged from behind the door. “Just a little shaken.”
Outside, bullets pinged off of Cobol as he charged the next two soldiers. The android sent one flying off the edge of the platform. Without slowing, he picked up the next soldier, spun him once, and sent him tumbling into the sea.
There was an air-splitting boom, and another Selkan home turned to rubble.
“I think I can get to the Pepper now.” Jack stepped out of the stairwell.
“No,” Lance said.
“No?”
“They’ll be expecting that.”
“What, then?”
“I will take your spaceplane,” Lance said, “and draw the enemy away from here. Then, you can steal their plane and sneak past the Tamarack’s defenses.”
A smile spread across Jack’s face. “I like the way you think.”
“Once I’m clear,” La
nce continued. “I’ll radio to my fleet and have them meet you at the Terminal.”
Jenny smiled, “I’m ready, let’s do this.”
Outside, Cobol charged the marine in the hypersuit. The soldier aimed his arm cannon and fired at Cobol. But, the android barely slowed as he rammed the armored soldier in the gut. The red marine stumbled backward, almost falling over. The android wedged his fingers into the clamshell cockpit of the hypersuit. With a loud crunch, the cockpit shell flew off and landed on the platform with a dull thud. Cobol plucked the squishy meat from its casing and tossed the shocked marine off the platform.
With all of Tyr’s soldiers defeated, Jack and the others rushed out of the stairwell. Kensei stopped and picked up the marine’s discarded pistol carbine. Lance ran toward the Pepper, and Jack jogged up to the Tyran spaceplane.
A man and woman in the dark-gray uniforms of Tyran officers occupied the Tyran spaceplane’s cockpit. The pilot, a woman, had short black hair and a wine-stain birthmark that covered half of her face. Jack was awestruck. Where he was from, natural peculiarities like this were a sign of beauty.
The copilot leaned forward and shouted into the communicator: “Tamarack. This is Skalla Four-Twenty-Three. Hostiles are attacking.” The pilot pressed a series of buttons, and the spaceplane’s engines roared to life.
Cobol ran up to the cockpit and dragged the pilot and copilot out of their seats. Kensei aimed his confiscated pistol carbine at them. They looked frightened and kept glancing at Cobol.
These aren’t hardened soldiers, Jack thought. It’s likely the first time they’ve ever had a gun pointed at them. Jack felt a little sorry for them.
From the cockpit, a female voice spoke over the communicator: “Skalla Four-Twenty-Three, repeat. Did you say ‘hostiles’?”
“What do we do with them?” Adriana asked Jenny.
“We should tie them up.” Jenny looked around the spaceplane for something to use.
“First”—Jack pointed into the cockpit—“we’ve got to respond to that call.”
“Then go.” Jenny found a set of restraints, which were likely for restraining the Selkans, in the cargo hold.
“I’d wager that there’s a camera too,” Jack said.
“Should we go back to your plane?” Kensei asked.
Outside, the Pepper roared to life and lifted off the platform. Within moments, the two Tyran spaceships—which had been blasting the Selkans’ islands—turned and gave chase.
“Too late,” Adriana said.
How did I end up as the only adult here? Jack thought. “There’s got to be something we can do. Wait, Jenny, I saw you possess that giant in the cave.” The same ability Victus used to trick me. “You can save us.”
“What?” Jenny looked down at her boots. “No. I don’t...” Jenny threw the restraints to Jack.
Jack caught the plastic straps and secured them around the copilot’s wrists. “If we don’t answer them”—Jack pointed at the cockpit—“then there’s no chance we’ll save the Selkans.”
The female voice repeated from the cockpit. “Skalla Four-Twenty-Three, answer or we will assume that hostiles have compromised your position.”
“You have the power to control people.” Jack cinched the copilot’s legs to the seat.
Jenny looked away and then back at him. “So what?”
“You need to possess her.” He nodded at the pilot. “Then you can tell the Tamarack that everything’s fine.”
“It’s a good idea,” Kensei offered.
Jenny glared at Kensei and looked to Adriana.
“I don’t see any other option.” Adriana shrugged.
“Fine.” Jenny sat down and concentrated. “Hey, I think I’m getting the hang of this.”
The pilot smiled and looked at Adriana. “Hi, Adriana.”
“Jenny?”
The pilot nodded. “It’s me, your half-sister.”
“Yup,” Jenny said. “She’s me. I know, it’s all very complicated.”
“You’re possessing her, and you’re still in control of your body?” Adriana asked.
“Yeah, I know, it’s crazy,” Jenny said.
“Can you lower that gun, Kensei?” the pilot asked.
Kensei looked back and forth between the pilot and Jenny, then lowered the gun. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
As Kensei lowered the gun, the pilot rushed into the cockpit and activated the comm. “This is Lieutenant Sona Jackson. ID Six-Thirty-Three-Seventy-Eight.”
Jack’s heart drummed in his chest as a video screen activated. He pulled Kensei out of view of the cockpit and sat down next to the copilot.
“You made a big mistake.” The copilot said in a deep voice with a distinctive drawl.
“Can you shut him up?” Jack asked.
“Yeah.” Kensei grinned. “I have an idea.” The lean, dark-skinned boy pinched the man’s shoulder near the neck. Within a few seconds, the blood drained from the copilot’s face and his head lolled to the side. Kensei leaned back and smiled. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”
“What did you do?”
“The Vulcan neck pinch.”
Jack looked at him blankly.
Kensei sighed. “I just increased the gravity he experienced and starved his brain of oxygen.” His head lolled. “Whoa, here comes the dizzy spell.”
“You induced g-LOC.” Jack smiled at Kensei. “Nice one.”
From the cockpit, a woman’s voice spoke over the comm. “Sona, what’s going on down there?”
“An unknown group of hostiles appeared on the platform.” Sona looked back into the passenger area. “We attempted to assist, but they overpowered our guards and escaped in the smuggler’s spaceplane.”
“They overpowered the red marines?” the voice said.
“Just one,” Sona said.
“Where’s your copilot?”
“He was injured, I treated him, and he’s resting in the passenger cabin.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Same here. I’ve got supplies to deliver, and I need a flight plan.”
There was a long pause, and Jack exchanged nervous glances with Adriana and Kensei.
“Granted. And, Sona?”
“Yes?”
“Will you bake some of your special brownies when you get back?”
“Sure thing, Ruth.” Sona laughed, a throaty trill that sounded foreign given the situation.
“Proceed to hangar eleven.”
There was a beep from the console. “Thanks, Ruth. Sona out.” She sighed and shut off the communicator.
Shortly after the video disappeared, Jack dropped into the copilot’s seat. “Nice work, Jenny. That’s a useful ability.” When it’s not being used against me. Jack thought as he looked over the flight plan sent from the Tamarack.
“Thanks,” Jenny said.
Jack checked the instruments and finished the preflight routine. “Special brownies, huh?”
“I’m apparently a good baker no matter whose body I’m in.”
Jack finished the check. “It all looks good. I doubt they suspect a thing.”
Jenny, still in Sona’s body, left the cockpit and sat next to the unconscious copilot. She picked up the plastic restraints and fastened herself to the seat before releasing the pilot.
“Hey,” Kensei said, “You didn’t pass out this time.”
“You’re right,” Jenny said, “and you didn’t get super dizzy.”
“I guess we’re both getting better.”
Jenny’s stomach growled. “Oh man, I’m so hungry. I think I still have some dried fruit in here.” She rummaged in the burstepi until she found the dried fruit. While eating, she thought back to her vision of Nimue. Did she really possess the virosuit? she asked Cobol.
She really did, Cobol answered.
The engines roared. Jack pulled back on the stick, and the spaceplane rose into the air. They hovered over the turquoise waves for a moment. The nose inclined, and they rose up
to the thin white clouds.
Kensei watched out the window. “Where are we going?”
“North,” Jack said, “to the orbital launch system.”
“Why don’t we just head straight toward your ship?” Kensei asked.
“This plane doesn’t have the power or fuel to escape Earth’s gravity well.”
“Kensei,” Jenny said, “I bet if you made the ship lighter we could go straight to Jack’s ship.”
“No way, it’s not a backpack—this is like a thousand times heavier.”
“I’m sure you can do it.”
“Fine, I’ll try.” He unbuckled himself from the seat and knelt down. The air seemed to bend around him like a magnifying lens. He gasped and collapsed to the floor. “I can’t, it’s too big.”
“It’s just a matter of perspective.” Jenny unbuckled her harness and held his shoulder. “I know you can do it.”
Kensei placed his hands on the floor. This time, the bubble grew until it surrounded the spaceplane, and their speed doubled.
“Wow, kid.” Jack’s ears popped as the cabin pressure equalized. “How long can you keep this up?”
“As long as you need.” Kensei smiled.
“Then I’m altering course.” Jack pressed a series of buttons. “Next stop, the Celestial Strider.”
Jenny walked up to the cockpit. “So, what makes this ship of yours so special?”
“It’s an elite military vehicle built during a time of peak conflict in the galaxy,” Jack said.
“When was that?”
“About nine years ago.”
“So, it’s old?” Jenny teased.
Jack leaned on his elbow and narrowed his eyes at Jenny. “No military ships have been built for seven years. Plus, I’ve been maintaining and upgrading her all that time.”
“Sounds like you’ve just been keeping her running.”
“No, she’s the pinnacle of military design and technology.”
“Nine years ago.”
“There’s been nothing like her before or since.”
“Well, I hope you’re right.” Jenny turned and walked back to the passenger cabin.
Outside, the sky transitioned from blue to black. Jack leveled the ship and entered a lower orbit to intercept the Strider. There was a commotion in the passenger cabin. Jack looked back to see the kids laughing as they spun in midair. He smiled. They deserved to have some fun.
The Key of Astrea Page 43