I grit my teeth, and my hands form fists. Hammond and the World Senate cannot be allowed to steal from and murder Javen’s people! The Alku offered help and allowed us to settle on their planet without resistance.
Earth must know. I won’t allow this darkness to continue. There must be a way to get the word out. I pocket the thumb drive and stuff the data viewer into my bag and then message Irene and Max.
Meet me as soon as you can after work.
At this point, I don’t have any option but to go to my office and work on the mining project until the end of the day. If I leave work for too long, it might bring suspicion, and I can’t have that. I race around the front of the building and into the entrance, dreading the next seven hours before I can get to my dorm and figure this all out.
♦ ♦ ♦
Max is still stuck at work and Irene hasn’t messaged me since this morning, but I check the time and know that she should be home soon.
I’ve watched Dad’s videos two more times since I got back to the dorm, but I need for Irene and Max to see the footage before we come up with a way to speak to the more flexible members of the Board.
Maybe they didn’t know there were alternatives for living with the Alku and healing Earth. If they can see the videos, too, I know their eyes will be opened. At this point, I can’t see any other option. There’s no way three kids are going to be able to change the minds of Hammond, Luca, and the World Senate. We need pull from the other Board members and their connections.
Nervousness spins in my chest, and I close my eyes to call out to Javen again through the Starfire. But once more, nothing changes. It worked at the restaurant; why isn’t it working now?
Even though I have no desire to eat, I decide that I might be able to force down a sandwich. A knock sounds at the door before I reach the kitchen, however, and I swing around. Max!
I rip open the door.
“Hey,” says Alina. She pokes her head in through the door. “Where’s Irene?”
In surprise, I withdraw, unfortunately giving Alina additional space to come in.
“Uh, she’s still at work I guess.”
Alina slips past me. “How was your first day on the job?”
I close the door and try to think of a way to get rid of her, but nothing comes to mind.
She drops into the nearest chair and my attention trains on the data viewer on the side table. My first instinct is to grab it. Alina is so nosy there’s not much stopping her from noticing the tech and wanting to take a peek.
“It was . . . long,” I finally answer, diverting my attention to her.
“Same for me.” She glances around and locks on to the viewer. “What’s this? Looks old.”
My heart jumps, and I lean forward to snag the drive from her hands. “Um. It’s . . . vacation videos my dad made.”
Alina pinches her lips together. “I’m really sorry he died.”
I drop the data viewer to my side and sigh. “See, that’s the thing. I don’t think he did.” I know I shouldn’t breathe a word of this, but the more people who can see how Hammond isn’t completely trustworthy, the better. “President Hammond might be covering up the explosion.”
Alina narrows her eyes in confusion. “What?”
“I have information.”
“Like what?”
I shake my head. “I can’t tell you. But I can say Hammond is keeping a lot of information from the people.”
“Why would she do that?” Alina asks.
“Because there are things about Arcadia she doesn’t want everyone to know.”
Alina opens her mouth to speak, but my Connect buzzes and I don’t hear what comes out of her mouth as I look at the words on the clear screen.
Get out of your dorm now. Irene was taken into custody. I’m on my way.
“Uh . . . I gotta go.” I race for the door and reach for the handle.
“What’s going on?” Alina asks.
I round to her. “If anyone comes for me, tell them I left and you don’t know where I went. And forget everything I just told you about my dad. I didn’t mean to get you all wrapped up in this mess.”
I throw open the door and race down the hall.
Chapter 20
Irace out of the building, and a vehicle screeches to a halt right behind me. I glimpse over my shoulder and my heart nearly leaps out of my chest as the door flies open and a figure jumps out.
I don’t wait to see who the person is and take off down the sidewalk.
“Cassi!” a male voice shouts from behind.
I swing around to the voice. Max is sprinting toward me.
I skid to a stop as he catches up to me and grabs my arm. “Hirata sent me to bring you to her. She can protect you.”
“Hirata and Cooper have been almost useless in this whole mess.”
“They’re doing what they can.”
I yank my arm from his hand. “Well, it’s not enough. So, what makes you think they’re going to be able to keep Hammond from locking me away or worse?”
Our Connects buzz at the same time, and I glance down. The hologram activates, and my eyes widen at the words scrolling across it—something about a group of people who are not committed to the new direction of Arcadia’s settlement and, therefore, must be located and detained.
Irene’s face flashes onto the screen as already found. Several other unfamiliar faces appear and then a girl with long strawberry blond hair—me!
I swing my head around, looking for other people who might recognize my face, but the street in front of my dorm is pretty sparse. And I’m not waiting around to see if any people within the vicinity notice me.
“I . . . I have to go.” I turn and dart down the sidewalk again. But Max keeps to my side.
“Where are you going to go, Cassi? The authorities are going to find you.”
“The only place I know the Board can’t follow for now.”
“And where’s that? Your best chance is for me to take you to Hirata. She promised to help,” he pants as he runs alongside me.
I don’t answer him and keep running full speed, focusing on the Starfire around my neck.
I have to get to Javen, to his people, to his side of the Intersection.
As I run, the space around me shifts and bends, making my stomach roil. But I press on, concentrating. This has to work.
A cyan glow surrounds me and a crack in space appears. I jump for the break as a hand grabs my arm again from behind. I plunge to the ground with a thump. A person crashes on top of me, and I let out a groan. Pain rakes up my side, and I push Max off of me.
Max scrambles to his feet and looks around, eyes wide. “What the . . . where are we?”
I swing my attention up. The city buildings are gone. Max and I ended up in an open field, flanked by forest. Above us, a cyan mist hovers in the darkening sky.
“On the other side.” I breathe a sigh of relief and stand as I wipe the dust from my clothes.
“The other side? The other side of what?” His brows crease in confusion. “I was running to catch you. All I did was grab your arm, and then we are here, out in the middle of nowhere.”
“We’re on the other side of the Intersection.” My stomach drops. “Did you see the entrance?”
“I didn’t see anything. We were there and then suddenly here.”
My nervousness dissipates. “We need to find the Alku and get help.”
Max lifts his hands and takes a step back. “Okay, we’ve gone through this before, but this is crazy.”
“I know, but it’s real. Hammond can’t just take the Alku’s world away from them.”
Max looks around. “Fine, I'm just going to ignore that whatever is happening is completely nuts. But where are these people? Are you sure they’re even here?”
I exhale a long breath as I realize I don’t know the answer to that question. I have only seen Javen and two others. They could be right over the hill or a thousand miles away. Panic starts to rise in me. What if we are ou
t in the middle of nowhere? I have no idea where to go if Javen doesn’t find us. And is he even aware we’re here?
With a deep breath, I push away the thoughts. I brought Max and myself across a whole dimension; I’m not going to get us lost in the woods.
“I have an idea.” I sit on the ground and close my eyes.
“What are you doing?” Max asks.
“Give me sec. I just need a little quiet.” I keep my eyelids shut. “I’m new to this whole thing.”
“Okay.”
In my mind I let all my thoughts settle, and I focus on Javen. I focus on his face and bronzed skin. I focus on his voice and how the sound fills me with music. I focus on how his arms feel encircling my body.
Like a magnet, I pull his presence closer, and like a mist his consciousness surrounds me. I open my eyes, and Javen sits before me, a crooked smile on his lips. He leans forward and presses his mouth to mine, and as he does, my body longs for him. I run my hands over his shoulders.
But remembering Max, I snap back and flit my attention to him.
Max still stands to my side, his mouth agape, and what might be hurt fills his expression.
“Um,” I say, feeling embarrassment and guilt all wadded up in my stomach. “This is Javen.”
Javen spins to Max in surprise. He must not have known another person was here. “You brought someone with you?”
“That’s Max. He came by accident.”
Javen stands and is nearly a head taller than Max. The two stare, sizing each other up.
“We need your help, Javen,” I finally say. “Hammond knows I’ve been digging up information about my dad and she sent out an alert for my detainment. My face has been shown to every member of the city. And my roommate was already taken into custody.”
Javen looks at me. “Why was she taken?”
“Because Irene knows too much. And Max does too, but Hammond is apparently not aware of that yet.”
Max loosens his tense shoulders and squares himself. “I’m working for one of the Board members who is open to opposing Hammond. But she needs support. Without it, she can make very few moves. If your people can help, there may be others who will rise up.”
Javen gaze slides back to me. “I’ve told you, most of my people are resistant to fighting.”
“But not all,” I say. “Your uncle is willing to resist.”
“The Council still wants to settle on a peaceful resolution to this situation. War will change our people, our way of life. It’s not who we are anymore.”
“But your people might die. Please let us talk to them.”
“Us?” Javen asks and looks at Max and me. “I can’t take you both to the Council. They’ll never accept it.”
“Then just take me,” I say.
Javen presses his lips together and finally says, “You do have an unusual connection to the Starfire. Maybe my people will see that and know your heart is true.”
I look to Max. “We need to send you to the other side. Hammond isn’t searching for you, so go and try to find out more about Irene's location. Maybe Hirata can have her released or at least ensure her safety.”
Max nods and I can’t tell what he’s really thinking or feeling. “You message me as soon as you get back, okay?” A worried smile softens his expression.
I smile at him in return. “I will,” I say, hoping he sees that I do care about him.
Javen touches Max on the shoulder, and they both vanish. But in a split second, Javen returns. He catches my gaze and then pulls me into his arms.
“You summoned me,” Javen says into my ear.
“Summoned?”
“The method my people use to call each other through the Starfire.”
“Maybe it works that way for everyone. You just haven’t tested it,” I say.
“I could be wrong,” Javen says, “but I don’t think so. Your father could not make summoning work, no matter how hard he tried.”
I squint in thought. “You did say the Starfire linked us. Maybe our connection is allowing me to use the crystal’s power.”
Javen sighs. “Yes, but I’ve never seen anything like it. All I can hope is that my people will see this bond as a good thing.”
I lay my head on Javen’s chest and drink him in. “Take me to them.”
Chapter 21
“I’m bringing them to you,” Javen takes my hand. “When a gathering is necessary, we summon our people through the Starfire.”
“All of them?”
“No, not all, mostly representatives as well as the Council. But the Starfire will”—he stops as if he’s searching for the word—“will transmit to all of my people so they’re aware of whatever is decided.”
My chest clenches at the thought of all of Javen’s people watching me.
“I’ll make sure you have the chance to speak,” he says. “I can make no guarantees it’ll change their minds, though.”
I nod. “I’m ready.”
Javen squeezes my hand and closes his eyes.
I study how his body relaxes and how the space around us grows still in response. Below my chin, the Starfire I wear begins to pulse and glow, and a familiar chill encompasses my body. A thought hits me. I was bundling up on the ship, same as Dad, unlike everyone else. Was it my connection to the planet?
My body shudders and a cyan glow emits around Javen and me. A jumble of voices permeates my mind. The sound grows louder and more chaotic—some angry, some curious and some excited. I let go of Javen’s hand and drop to my knees, covering my ears, but it’s no use since the voices are not coming from the outside. I grit my teeth against the sound and look up at Javen, who’s still in a trance.
My Starfire pulses faster and the glow around us presses into my body with such force that I struggle to draw breath. I open my mouth to tell Javen to stop just as the feeling releases, and I fall to the ground in a heap.
“Cassi!” Javen says and drops next to me. “Are you okay?”
I gasp and all the compression on my body and mind is gone. “I . . . I think so.”
“My people don’t usually learn to use the Starfire so quickly. The power must be overwhelming you.” His face fills with concern.
I straighten. “I’m fine.”
Javen stands and holds out his hand. I take it, and he pulls me up.
“Where are they?” I scan the landscape. “Your people.”
“They’ll be here.”
“But you came so quickly when I summoned you. I opened my eyes, and you were there.”
Javen smiles. “That’s because I always want to be at your side. My people will require more convincing.”
Warmth from his words fills me, making me almost forget about the pain I endured while he summoned his people.
I begin to relax when the space around us lights up as far as I can see. I raise my hand to shield against the glare. Silent figures begin to appear, and my breathing speeds up. Here we go.
Javen interlaces his fingers in mine, and the action instantly calms my nerves.
Like flashes of light, more people appear—some as singles, others in groups—until a large crowd completely encircles us. Beyond them, the grasses and trees sparkle with flickering lights, as if fed by their energy.
Javen squares himself and plants his feet as a man appears about ten feet in front of us. My breath hitches at the sight of the man.
He’s tall with dark hair and his eyes swirl with cyan. He’s the person who made my dad disappear as seen on the explosion’s video feed. I flit my attention between Javen and the man. Javen releases my hand and steps forward, then bends on one knee. He bows his head for a beat and looks up.
“Thank you for coming, Father.”
Father? This is Javen’s father? My mind races and excitement bubbles in my chest. Then he might know if Dad is alive.
The man nods, and Javen stands. But then his father locks his stare onto me and my chest constricts.
“Who is this?” the man asks in a rich voice that sinks
deep into my core and rattles my waning confidence.
Javen straightens his shoulders and raises his head high. “This is Cassiopeia Foster. She’s from Earth and has requested to speak with the Council.”
Javen’s father doesn’t drop his attention from me, but his gaze softens a fraction.
Three women and two men step ahead of the crowd and join Javen’s father.
“Javen,” says a woman with long white hair and pale skin, whose eyes also shift between cyan and brown. “You know it is against our custom to bring in an outsider without the consent of the Council.”
Javen turns to her. “I know. But Cassiopeia is Richard Foster’s daughter.”
The woman, dressed in a long white tunic, tips her head in interest.
A man with dark salt and pepper hair and an angular face steps forward. I stare at him. “Nevertheless,” he says, “the Council has the right to refuse anyone to come to our side of the Intersection. I will not have this intrusion.” The man glares at me and the expression sends a shiver down my spine.
I scan the crowd of people. They remain silent as if they’re merely taking in everything being said. Javen’s people are as diverse as the passengers who came from Earth to Arcadia. Some are short, while others are tall, and their skin ranges dark to light. The only difference is the limited hair color, which seems to either be dark brown, nearly black, or white.
“The Starfire has chosen her,” Javen announces.
A collective gasp from the people whips my attention around to Javen.
“What?” I ask.
Javen’s father tilts his head. “That’s not possible, Javen. Only our people are born of Starfire and can be chosen by it. Outsiders are not.”
Holding his head high, Javen keeps his stare locked onto his father. “Cassiopeia has linked with the Starfire and crossed over the Intersection two times on her own. This gives her the right to be heard by the Council.”
The three women and two men gather around Javen’s father and speak in hushed tones.
I study the group of Alku Council members. Did Dad and Mom meet with them all when they were here? Were they friends with my parents, and if so, does that mean they will be friends with me? I have so many questions I can't ask. Nausea from waiting to hear what the Alku will say coils in my belly and I run my trembling hands over my midsection.
The Starfire Wars- The Complete series Box Set Page 15