by Sahara Foley
“It is worth it for me.” He gazed at her, his jaw set with determination. “I will go.”
“Lurga, we don’t understand what will happen to you over there.” Karrin was trying to put on a brave face for the warrior, but her heart was breaking.
“There is no doubt what will happen if I do not try.” He stood and gazed down at her, his eyes full of tears. “I am the Greatest Ispepyein Warrior. This is my battle. This is your battle. Destroying the Srells is why we are here. It must be done. Enough talk. We go tell the Shalit.” Standing tall, he turned, and without a backward glance, strode toward the open door of the ship.
Karrin watched him go, and her held-in emotions overwhelmed her. She broke into racking sobs, head buried in her hands. Everything Arthur and Daisy told her pointed to the fact her love wouldn’t be coming back. The Srells were unstoppable. They were like the sun, rising in the East every morning. Clouds might cover the sun, so the dawn couldn’t be seen, but it couldn’t be stopped. It still happened.
Sniffling loudly, Karrin wiped her eyes. All we are is the cloud cover. They will come either way.
A pair of scruffy blue tennis shoes came into view. Karrin glanced up to see Pam staring down at her, arms crossed, lips pursed in disapproval.
“I realize you’ve had a tough life, and all you want is to be left alone with your man. I get that. Still, we have choices that need to be made. We can stand and fight, or we can give up and let the Srells win. Your Warrior is with us. How about you?”
“Why can’t life be simple?” Karrin chewed on her lip, mentally kicking herself. She sounded like a sniveling child. Where’s the warrior Lurga raised? The teenager straightened up and squared her shoulders. She survived everything else life threw at her. She would survive this.
“I don’t know, honey,” Pam responded with a soft sigh as she sat next to her granddaughter. She pulled Karrin into her arms and rocked her, back and forth, as she smoothed down her long, curly black hair. It looked like hers, except for the missing silver streak.
“All I know is, if life didn’t challenge us, we’d become complacent. We grow stronger by overcoming obstacles in our way. We happen to be facing one of the biggest obstacles in our life.” She gave Karrin a wry grin.
“Is that all?” Karrin chuckled, enjoying Pam’s warm embrace. Mamma Claudia was a wonderful caregiver, but she always had trouble showing her feelings. The young woman sighed with contentment. She could get used to being mothered, but only if they stopped the Srellooks. “I think I finally understand what we’re fighting for. Do we have a chance?”
Pam’s hand paused for a few seconds before she started stroking Karrin’s hair again. “If you believed in a God, or a Creator of the Universe, I’d say we would persevere. I know you don’t, so I’m not going to lie to you. To put it bluntly, most likely not. Still, we must try.
“There are hundreds of other worlds in our Universe, depending on us to fight, even though they aren’t aware their existence is in jeopardy. So, whether you choose to fight for them, Lurga, or yourself, we need you on our side. We don’t intend on giving up until we win or we’re dead.”
Karrin jumped off the rock, turned toward Pamela, and held out her hand. “Well, I can’t let you guys have all the fun. Come on, let’s go.”
With a wide grin, Pam took the offered hand, and the two most PSI powered people in the Galaxy walked toward the silver ship.
CHAPTER EIGHT
When they entered the round room, with a small squeeze, Karrin released Pam’s hand and stopped next to Lurga. He looked at her with a quirked eye ridge, so she gave him a slight nod and smile.
“Where are Daisy and Arthur?”
“Keeping separate entities from our main core is taxing on our systems,” came the disembodied voice of the Weesa. “Now that we’re all in agreement, our first line of business is preparing Lurga for the other side. Karrin, you will need to prepare a force field for him; one strong enough to withstand the acid rain and protect him from the Srells.”
All eyes turned toward Karrin.
She slid behind Lurga’s broad back to hide from their intense, expectant gazes. “Um, what do you mean?”
“According to Lurga’s memory, you placed one around him at the Ispepyein Palace.” Pam gave him a sheepish grin. “Sorry for reading your mind.”
Karrin peaked around the warrior’s back. “I didn’t know if the force field would work, and I’m not sure HOW I did it.”
“You can do it, Karrin.” Pam gave her an encouraging smile. “Arthur and I both have the same ability. Just focus on Lurga and think about placing a shield around him.”
The teenager chewed on her bottom lip, then nodded. “Okay, I’ll give it a try.” She stepped from behind Lurga and faced him.
Nervous about hurting him, her body tense under all the expectation, Karrin shook her wrists a few times and tilted her head, side-to-side. Taking a deep breath, she reached up and placed her hands on his shoulders and closed her eyes. Then, she envisioned a transparent shield the shape of Lurga and tried planting it under his skin.
Unfortunately, the harder Karrin worked at it, the more it fought her. It reminded her of the time she wanted to put clothes on Brownie. She’d been afraid he wasn’t warm enough during the cold winter months, but he fought against her the whole time. Eventually, she gave up, frustrated with him.
Her cheeks red and sweat running down her face, Karrin quit with a loud huff. “Sorry, I can’t do it. See? I told you I lost my powers.”
“I can sense what you’re doing, and you’re your worst enemy,” Excalibur said with annoyance. “You have yourself convinced you are powerless, but you’re not. You need to trust yourself. Now, try again, but this time let your psychic energy flow from you to Lurga. Like a stream flowing around a boulder.”
Karrin gave a curt nod, closed her eyes, and concentrated on her breathing. In and out, she tried to calm her racing heart. Once her pulse returned to normal, she thought of a peaceful stream, meandering through a quiet, green meadow. As the water approached a boulder sitting in its way, Karrin directed the water to glide around the rock.
The water sluiced along the sides, and Karrin’s hair began to float in the air. Prickles of energy radiated from her hands and into Lurga’s shoulders. The warrior’s mouth dropped open and he started gagging, hands clutching at his throat.
“Whoa, back off. You’re blocking the big fellow’s airway,” Excalibur warned. “You need to let oxygen flow through the shield.”
Karrin jerked her hands off Lurga. “Oh, my God. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
He coughed and hacked a few times before answering. “I’m fine, little one. However, you have reinforced my fear of suffocating to death.” Then, he grinned at her.
“Don’t tease me like that,” Karrin scolded. “I thought I really hurt you.”
Lurga rubbed his chest. A thin silver shield flowed smoothly with his arm movement. “My lungs are still burning, but as long as your shield works, it was worth the pain.” He looked sideways at her. “If I survive my confrontation with the Srells, remind me to never make you mad.”
Karrin threw her arms around his thick neck. “Bet me, Buckwheat. You can make me mad anytime you want. Just come back to me.”
Lurga wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her from the floor, causing Karrin to squeal in surprise.
She glanced back at Pam. “Will it hold? Will it protect him?”
“Girl,” Pam replied, shaking her head in wonder. “Ain’t nothing gonna get through that. Neither Cal or I could’ve made one that strong. Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.”
“Karrin, before you leave, how do you want Lurga to look in his Human form? In case some of us don’t make it back from our missions,” Weesa explained.
“I don’t really care. I’ve seen Lurga in every shape and form you can imagine when he trained me in different combat techniques he picked up during his numerous battles. You don’t understand. I love HIM, not how he looks.”
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Pam smiled at her granddaughter as she hugged her. “You definitely have Ruth’s blood running through your veins.”
“Why? Was she special like us?”
Pam chuckled. “No, my mum was far from it. Though I always thought she could’ve been a witch. She had this uncanny ability to make people do what she wanted.”
She brushed a strand of Karrin’s thick hair from her face. “No, I meant she had enough love to accept my father for what he was, even when he ended up being a part of the Weesa. She loved everyone for who and what they were.” Pam had a sad, wistful look on her face. “I wish you could’ve met her.”
“Yes, Ruth was an exceptional person,” Weesa acknowledged. “She had but one power – the power of love. It was that love which created Pam. We became very attached to her after Arthur and Daisy were incorporated into our system. We shared many adventures with Ruth and Greg. They are sorely missed.”
“What happened to them?” Karrin asked.
“They grew tired of watching their friends and family die when they couldn’t. So, we removed the force fields that kept them young. It didn’t take long for their age to catch up to them.” Pam sighed and wiped a tear from her eye. “I miss Mum, every day.”
Excalibur hugged Pam and rubbed her back. Peering over her head, he said, “Before we all start weeping in our tea, we have things to do. Karrin, what are you going do to with the Calens the Omars captured? One of them is General Martek, and the Senod ship is making its approach. They want to negotiate with you on your salvage claim.”
Karrin nodded. She sensed the ship approaching, like everyone else in the room. “Can you all excuse us for a moment? I need to talk to Arthur, alone.”
While her family filed out the doorway, the Senod ship settled on the sandy beach. Once the door closed, Arthur’s face appeared on the screen.
“What can I do for you, kiddo?” he asked with a smirk.
After a few minutes, Karrin exited the ship and strode with purpose toward the Calen prisoners. She winked as she passed Pam and Cal. With their abilities, she realized they already knew what Arthur told her.
The Omars were tormenting the prisoners. However, when Karrin neared them, they moved aside, flanking her.
The young woman stopped five feet from them and stared down at the huddled group of bound Calens. Their pale faces were red from the sun, and their uniforms covered with sand as well as an icky brown goo the Omars had been tossing at them. Karrin’s nose crinkled from the smell, and she made sure not to get too close or touch them.
Her gaze fell on the Calen she wanted to confront. He was fat compared to his subordinates. His face and neck covered with the smelly brown goo.
“You must be General Martek,” Karrin declared. “We finally get to talk in person.”
He struggled against his bonds as he sat up straighter. He thrust his shoulders backward, and lifted his chin in the air. “I do not speak to children.”
He’s as pompous in person as he is in his messages. Karrin spread her feet as her hands clenched into fists on her hips. “You WILL speak to the Warrior Child Karrin, or you will never speak again.”
The Omars squeaked from fright and scattered in all directions. They were reacting to the psychic energy building inside Karrin.
The General stopped struggling as he gaped at the young woman. “You. You are the Warrior Child?”
“Yes, that’d be me. This idiotic mission you’ve been on to kill me has come to an end. You killed my family, and for that, I will never forgive you. However, I have learned you were being used. That you are nothing more than a simple lackey, bought by the highest bidder. So, I’m not going to kill you, but you still deserve to be punished.”
By now, the PSI power was pulsing within her, causing her hair to crackle and her skin to tingle like tiny needles sticking into every pore. It was exhilarating, but also, frightening. Karrin didn’t want to hurt anyone else, so she gritted her teeth, trying to contain her power and focus it on her intended victims.
“You will be Calens no more.” The words of her verdict rang in the air as a bolt of silver energy shot from her chest and raced toward the four cowering men.
They yelled in horror as the cold, silver power settled over them. The screams turned to terror as they started to transform. Bones cracked. and muscles snapped as their frail bodies became wider, taller. Clothing ripped as new arms and legs sprouted where none had been before. Long, shaggy, multi-colored hair grew where once there was nothing but pale, smooth skin.
The transformations complete, Karrin forced her powers back inside herself, exhausted, but vindicated. I can never bring back the family I lost or the life they left me in. But, they will always remember what part they played.
Pam and Excalibur burst out laughing. The Senods, in their space suits, stared gape-mouthed at what they witnessed. Lurga looked stunned by the display of power, his breathing vents flapping like crazy.
Karrin smiled. She did it. She controlled her powers. They might have a chance against the Srells after all.
“General, you and what’s left of your self-righteous crew are what you despise the most – Tethian’s. You no longer have any PSI powers, so if you want off this planet, you’ll have to be nice and ask the Senods. If they refuse to take you, you’ll be stuck on Switch forever.” She glanced around, smirking. “It’s not bad, but the winters can be hell.”
The Warrior Child mentally untied the ropes binding the prisoners, and they scrambled to their feet. They weren’t used to an extra set of arms or legs and ended up falling all over each other, cursing at each other in Tethian.
Karrin almost felt sorry for them. Almost.
*Well done,* came Arthurs’s amused mental voice. *I always wanted to do that, but Daisy wouldn’t let me.* He chuckled low, joined by the rest of the Weesa.
The young woman turned her attention toward the flustered Senods. They looked like tall, stick people with their long, gangly arms waving around in agitation. She couldn’t see their faces through the face-plates and was glad for that fact. They resembled her pet praying mantis she used to have on Earth.
“And, what can I do for you?” she asked the Senods. “Are you here to barter for your stranded ship? Well, guess what? I, now, have two.”
“You cannot do that,” the leader said, his high-pitched, nasal voice grating on Karrin’s ears. “We are here to negotiate for your salvage rights.”
“Ah-ah, but you landed without my permission.” She waggled her finger at them. “As you know, this isn’t a claimed planet, so I make my own laws here. My first one is claiming your ship.”
The leader backed up, arms in the air. “But…but…”
“Unless…” Karrin said with a grin.
The Senod stopped retreating, his head cocked, beady eyes glittering with greed. “Unless, what?”
Karrin pointed at her lover. “Lurga Pukani, the Greatest Ispepyein Warrior claims this planet of Switch for Ispepyein and names it as a haven for the Omars, or any other unwarlike race. The Senods must push the vote through the Council as soon as possible and provide fair trade with the different species who will live here.”
The Senod Commander pivoted his head toward the massive Ispepyein towering over him. Silver sparks twinkled all over Lurga’s body. “I concur.”
Karrin smiled. “Then, I release your ship. However, you must buy mine.” She tapped her chin a few times, thinking. “What is the most valuable commodity in this area of space?”
“That would be the hairless Peenas. We are close to Ispepyein, and that is their favorite delicacy.”
Karrin rolled her eyes, shuddering. “Yuck.”