Not even close, but you already knew the answer to that. Rh’ael is enroute to New York. He has a meeting at the United Nations headquarters with leaders from all over the world. Seems some ships have been detected in our solar system and they are discussing the early activation of a proto-type laser defense system called LOTA - Laser Orbiting Threat Annihilator. It sounds great, but it malfunctions and doesn’t end well for us. Our time’s up in here. Rh’ael needs to be intercepted. LOTA can’t be activated and they should know we have backup coming, Aarik answered before grabbing Kiya’s hand and bringing her out of the AZOK with him, where he answered Dag’s question, “How accurate of a shot are you?”
“Excellent, why do you ask?” Dag replied with a tilt of his head and a gleam in his eyes.
“Ever opened a transport on an airplane, at an altitude of 35,000 feet, that’s traveling 575 miles per hour?” Aarik asked with a smirk.
“No, but I can’t wait to be the first to prove it’s possible,” Dag replied with pride before asking, “Do you have the coordinates?”
“I do, but there’s more than one location which means we need to split up,” Aarik hedged out slowly. His hesitation had Kiya on guard as she waited for him to explain. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt until he looked at her with remorse.
Turning to face him, she put her hands on her hips and dared him to argue with her when she growled out, “Oh no you don’t. I’ve seen that face before! You are not sending me off to hide in a fortress of some kind, claiming it’s for my own protection!”
Clearing his throat to interrupt Kiya’s temper tantrum, he said, “If you’re finished, I’ll explain.” When she remained mute, but continued to glare at him, he continued, “I’m not hiding you away. No, on the contrary, I feel like I’m sending you into the wolf’s den. I need you to go with Dag to warn Rh’ael. I’ll be joining you in Area T after the briefing but first, Taylor and Anna need my help.”
“I don’t know if it’s a good idea to split up. Send someone else to help Taylor and Anna,” Kiya protested adamantly while shaking her head.
“I thought you’d be proud of me for not only letting you out of my sight, but trusting Dag here with your life,” Aarik joked grabbing Kiya’s chin and forcing her to look at him. “We won’t be separated for long and I’m bringing Thad and Morri with me. Taylor and Anna found something that will save a lot of lives and, if I don’t go, they won’t make it back in time to make a difference. Everything is going to be fine and we’ll be back together again before the shit hits the fan. I promise.”
“Fine...but if you’re taking Thad, who is going to be in contact with the fleet?” Kiya asked in resignation.
“Fine from a woman usually means the opposite, but seeing as we are short on time, I’ll take it. You seem to be forgetting you and I are connected now. You can relay things through me to Thad and vice versa,” Aarik replied with a tap to her noggin.
Kiya closed her eyes, took a deep breath to calm her nerves and told him what he needed to hear, “Alright, I’ll do it. But know this, Aarik Landon...this is the last time we separate during this war. Am I clear?”
With a snicker he nodded and kissed her nose before saying, “You won’t be able to pee without me being there. You’ll be begging for space!”
“Promises...promises,” Kiya returned with a smile. Looking over her shoulder, she said, “Ready when you are, Dag.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aarik
If Aarik hadn’t been 100 percent sure of Dag’s abilities, he never would have agreed to send Kiya by herself. After having witnessed their successful landing himself, he was confident in his decision. Giving her a final kiss, Aarik pushed her towards the mist and said a silent prayer that he was doing the right thing as she disappeared. Confidence in his visions was one thing, but their connection gave him a peace he never knew existed when she confirmed, seconds later, that they had made it. Sending back a feeling of gratitude, he turned to Morri and advised her of their destination. “Antarctica is awfully cold this time of year, I’m told. Do we have anything warmer to wear?”
The stunned look on Thad and Morri’s face was priceless. Morri recovered first and said, “I’m sure Mina can find us something appropriate to wear.” Snapping her fingers, the tiny blue pixie from earlier appeared in front of her. Morri told Mina what they needed and, just as quickly as she appeared, she poofed out again only to return seconds later with a variety of winter gear, including fur parkas floating, behind her. Morri thanked her and said, “I’ll need the coordinates to this Antarctica place. Not sure I’ve been there before.”
“I’m sure you have, although you probably know it as Terra Australis. It’s been under glacial ice, practically void of most living organisms since the last magnetic pole shift. My friends have located the Nae’derium weapons used during the last rebellion at the capital. They require assistance in getting the weapons out in time to be of use to us,” Aarik replied as he donned the parka and zipped it up.
Communicating the coordinates to Morri telepathically, he clapped on some gloves and prepared himself for the cold while he waited for the others to do the same. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Thad’s face when he saw the surprise waiting for him on the other side. Giving his companions a heads up, as Morri opened a mist transport, he announced, “Oh and by the way let me go first. Taylor is a bit freaked out at the moment. He’s been fighting mummies and is a little trigger happy.”
Stepping through the mist, Aarik held up his hand and said, “Easy guys. It’s just me and a couple friends. We thought you could use a hand getting out of here.”
Taylor, visibly shaken and breathing hard, lowered his weapon slowly and said sarcastically, “Sure, now you show up, when all the hard stuff is done.”
“Couldn’t let you take all the credit,” Aarik joked, crossing the room to clasp forearms with Taylor before crushing him in a bear hug. “Glad to see you made it out alive.”
“Yeah, no thanks to you though. We could have used your magical voice twenty minutes ago when zombie mummies rose from the dead and tried to kill us!” Taylor turned to Anna, who was struggling under the deadweight of an unconscious Captain Bolten, and said, “Told you I’d get us out of here!”
“Never doubted you for a second,” Anna replied sweetly using her free hand, she wiped some goo from her hair and flicked it to the ground. Covered in blood and guts, she readjusted Bolten, looked behind Aarik and said, “I’ll thank my dad for sending you later. Right now I could really use a week long shower and he could use a doctor. Where’s our ride?”
“Your dad didn’t send us. I did. Morri here will give us a ride back to Area T. Saw you needed some help getting the weapons back. Where are they?” Aarik replied, as his grin grew larger watching the look of confusion spread across both of their faces.
“Okay...we’ll talk about how that’s possible another time. Not sure I’m ready to understand how you knew quite yet. I think I’ve had enough surprises for the day. The weapons are back there. We tripped a booby trap of some sort when we found them in a hidden compartment in the wall behind the crystal sarcophagus. We didn’t get a chance to check them out because zombie mummies literally started crawling out of the walls. I can show you where they’re at,” Taylor answered with a shudder.
“No, that’s ok. We’ll find it. Morri, would you mind opening a transport to Area T? Thad and I will be right behind you,” Aarik replied, sending her the coordinates for the common room. Raising an eyebrow in question to Thad he nodded toward the tomb.
“Alright, but don’t take too long. My transport will only stay open for a few minutes at best. Unless you want me to wait? Not sure I have it in me to come back again today,” Morri questioned, with her hands poised in the air to open a transport.
“We’ll make it in time,” Aarik replied with confidence, tapping his head.
With a nod, Morri opened a portal and helped Taylor and Anna carry Bolten through the mist. Conscious of time,
he headed toward the weapons with purpose. Thad followed closely behind and stopped short when they entered the tomb and he saw the surprise waiting for him.
It didn’t take him long to recover once he realized who was waiting for him. Dashing to the crystal sarcophagus in the middle of the room, he placed his hands on the surface with tears streaming down his face. Aarik passed him quietly and, kneeling to the ground, pulled out the weapons. Levitating the stash in the air he headed toward the exit to give Thad some privacy with his Kh’izmet. Pausing at the door when the pod opened, Aarik watched as Zoya opened her eyes with a smile and purred, “Took you long enough.”
Aarik stayed long enough to see Thad scoop her up and pepper her face and neck with light kisses. He crushed Zoya to his chest and mouthed a thank you over her head. Aarik nodded with understanding and replied telepathically, You’re welcome, but don’t forget Morri’s portal closes soon. I promise there’ll be time for a long reunion later.
With the nod of a man made whole, Thad stalked forward with Zoya in his arms. Aarik couldn’t help but overhear their hushed reunion just as he crossed the misty threshold, “Why didn’t you reach out for me? Even in stasis I should have known you were alive! I’ve missed you so much!”
Aarik barely heard Zoya’s tearful response through the mist, “As I have you, my love. But you know as well as I do that there’s a time for everything. Once our descendants put an end to the cyclical carnage your people have caused, we’ll have ours.”
The commons was bustling with activity as he stepped through the mist with Thad and Zoya. Anna was standing, with her hands on her hips, next to an angry Bolten who happened to be strapped down to a gurney. Bolten was adamant he could walk to the medical ward and Anna was having none of that. Tapping her foot, she said, “You almost died back there. Once the doctors have a chance to take some blood and assure me you’re not going to turn into some kind of zombie from the bites you sustained then, and only then, can you get up. Take him away, guys.” Turning toward Taylor, who was in the process of trying to assure everyone they were not under imminent attack, she let out a large sigh and stomped toward the crowd and said, “People…people. Keep it together. A lot of crazy shit is going to start happening around here and if this is how you react over something benign, I fear for humanity. Now get moving, I’m sure you all have a job to do and if you don’t I’ll give you one.” As the room began to clear out, she visibly relaxed and, looking up at Aarik, she added, “Apparently having someone show up in what they thought was a secure facility was a mind opening experience for some.”
“They’ll come around,” Aarik replied with a shrug.
“Or they won’t. The earth could use a good culling if you ask me. Going to go get cleaned up before I lose the chance,” Anna answered, while dragging Taylor toward the door. Looking over her shoulder she pointed to the weapons and said, “You can drop those off in my lab if you want.”
“Thanks. I have an idea on how we can use them. I’ll come find you after Kiya gets back.” Aarik called back. Lowering the weapon cache to the ground, he shrugged out of his winter gear and searched the room for Morri. He found her at the back of the room leaning against the wall looking at her cuticles, acting like the commotion in the room had nothing to do with her. She looked up at Aarik, barely acknowledging his return, but when her eyes landed on Thad with Zoya, still wrapped protectively in his arms, she beamed and said, “Zoya! It’s been too long my friend. Where have you been hiding? Never mind, don’t answer that it, doesn’t matter. Poor Thad here has been difficult to be around in your absence, to say the least! Can I get you anything? Doris here was making some snacks if you’re hungry.”
“Morrigan! Set me down, my love,” Zoya replied while patting Thad’s arm in a soothing manner. Thad set her down and Zoya waltzed over to Morri and kissed both cheeks before they engulfed each other in a hug. Stepping back she replied, “Thank you for keeping him sane. You always were a dear friend. I would love something to eat, but first where are my descendants?” Looking about the room her eyes landed on Aarik and she said, “Ah, Aarik. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. You look exactly like you do in my dreams. Would you be a dear and check in on Kiya? I’m so used to being able to keep tabs on her and the separation is killing me.”
Kiya picked that exact moment to open a connection, I know you said you sent me to handle this, but these morons are making it hard for me to sit back and listen to their bullshit.
I never said to sit back and listen. I sent you there because I knew you’d tell them like it is. We don’t have time for normal political nonsense. Wrap it up and come back to me, Aarik replied with a chuckle when she growled in return.
“At the moment she and Dag are in New York advising the United Nations that we were successful in establishing an alliance. If they’re not here by the time I get back from dropping off these weapons I’ll go pick ‘em up,” Aarik offered, making his way to the central elevator bay.
“Thank you,” Zoya replied with obvious relief.
Aarik asked Ailla to take him to level five. After dropping off the weapons he took advantage of the few moments he had alone to check in with Enki. He also thought it wouldn’t hurt to ensure nothing was amiss in the future that would derail their victory. He was happy to see most governments had opted to act proactively. Encouraging people to seek shelter underground and had even opened their doors to the public in anticipation of a land attack. Aarik was about to sign out when Enki spoke up, Timeline moved up a bit and we have a new player to the game after the vote to go to war exposed the traitorous faction. One was able to get a message out before you froze them and advised the king of our vote. He launched the first wave of Exos and they’ll be arriving tomorrow.
Show me! Aarik demanded, as he focused his energy on the projector screen, willing it to fast forward so he could check out the newcomer and determine just how much their timeline moved up.
Confusion dominated his brain when the screen stopped to show him an active meteor shower on a moonless night sky above Long Island, New York. Except, as the scene progressed, the beautiful streaks turned to large fireballs in the sky. At first Aarik thought they were using the asteroid belt as ammunition, until he expanded his vision to Jupiter and saw that a giant spaceship resembling a volcanic mountain was launching them at Earth, like pyroballs, from its cone. The asteroids broke apart as they entered the atmosphere, only to reveal they were actually transport vehicles in disguise. When they made landfall a race of giant insects spilled onto the land like a scourge hell bent on wiping the land clean.
The first of the large ships sailed over Wardenclyffe Tower on a trajectory with New York City when Aarik noticed an electronic billboard flash the temperature and time and his heart almost stopped. They had less than twelve hours to prepare for an aerial and land attack and there wasn’t a second to lose. He needed to get to Kiya and fast. Bypassing the elevator, he took the emergency stairs two at a time until he busted through the door of the commons like a madman. He searched for Morri to beg her for a ride, only to come up empty-handed. As the beginnings of a panic attack made its way to the forefront of Aarik’s being, Doris walked over and slapped him across the face. Aarik stood there in a daze, cupping his cheek in astonishment more than pain and said, “Ouch! What’d you do that for?”
Doris smirked at him and said, “What needed to be done obviously. From the look on your face you were about two milliseconds from losing it and now is not the time to break down. We need you to stay focused and take care of shit out there. Now if you’re looking for your new friends, Ailla took them to their rooms.” Snapping him with the kitchen towel tucked into her apron she yelled, “Now get!”
Aarik would never admit it to the old bat, but her tough love was exactly what he needed to knock some sense into him. Reaching out to Kiya as he raced to find Morri and Thad he rejoiced when she answered in annoyance, Thought you said you trusted me to handle it. Change your mind so soon?
I trust you implicitl
y. Although that’s not exactly what I was calling you for...Aarik stuttered in relief to hear her voice.
Good...They are just starting to come around. Uh Oh some NASA scientist just rushed into the room...wait something’s wrong. He’s spouting something about an attack from all directions? That’s just Thad’s ships hiding out in the asteroid belt right? Maybe their ships dislodged a few asteroids our way or something?
Unfortunately, it’s not Thad’s group. The Exos, a highly intelligent race of exoskeleton insects, have joined the fight and their transport ships are already orbiting Jupiter. They’ll hit Earth’s atmosphere in less than twelve hours, warned Aarik in a rush, before adding, Time to wrap it up, sweetheart, I’m coming to get you! Kiya tried to respond but, hearing voices around the corner, Aarik cut her off, increased his speed and came to a stop in front of the foursome with a perfect slide. Ailla was trying to educate them on the facility’s no fraternizing policy and Thad was having none of that as he politely informed Ailla he would be staying where Zoya was. Morri stood back and observed as usual but came to attention when Aarik rounded the corner so dramatically.
“Morri! Change of plans! I need a representative from each faction to meet at Dag’s location immediately. Can you open a portal? I need to be there,” Aarik spit out in a rush, trying to catch his breath.
Standing at attention, she cocked her head and said, “Why the rush?”
“Time to make our stand against Th’ael and the king and one way to get the masses moving is introducing them to some of their long time idols. Exos are set to arrive in the early morning hours disguised as asteroids.” Aarik exclaimed.
“What happened? They always work alone and never ally themselves with any one group,” demanded Thad, as he exchanged looks of desperation with his Kh’izmet.
“No time to explain reasoning. The king is hoping the bugs will take out the majority of our armies and put a strain on our resources, so that when their armada arrives tomorrow night all they’ll have to do is play mop up. They’re really underestimating us,” Aarik answered with a growl, before moving to address Thad, “How soon can our fleet be here?”
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