They entered the small crystal room, and Juila immediately felt something unexpected. She stared ahead and could not believe what her eyes were showing her. The new crystal drive had been one of the missing samaras. It was clearly broken in half which just about broke Juila’s heart.
Ozias went to pick up the shards when Juila yelled out, “Don’t touch that, Ozias!”
He jerked his hands away and looked up in alarm. “What’s wrong?”
“This’s a powerful crystal, and it could have wild residual energy flowing through it. Let me get it, okay?” She pulled her sleeves down to cover the flesh on her hands.
Even through the thin fabric, Juila could feel the power pulsing through the two pieces of crystal. She wondered if it could somehow be repaired. In any event, this samara could not be left behind; she would have to figure out some way to spirit it aboard her telepod when she escaped.
Before they left the small room, Juila urgently asked, “Will you help me get my friends back to the telepod? You know when we get this running, Viceroy may decide he needs me to stay on board until you reach Heliok. If I were to leave and take eleven of the women and children with me, then you would be assured you’d all have enough food to stay alive all the way back home.”
“I don’t know how I can get that all accomplished in such a short amount of time,” he temporized. He realized what she was saying was probably true. It was not fair for her to remain with them after all she had done to save their lives. He would have to repay her somehow. “I’ll try,” he replied.
“Why don’t you begin gathering the women and children into my telepod while I get this crystal set up?” she suggested. She tried to make it seem like an offhanded comment, but it was the only way to make this work.
“Okay. How many extra people can you take with you?”
“Eleven, possibly twelve if a couple of them are small. Use your best judgment and make sure you tell them not to touch anything inside the telepod or else we’ll never be able to leave. Tell them it’s important to remain quiet and that they are not to bring anything with them or we won’t have enough room.”
“It sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this,” he accused.
“No, it’s just common sense,” she fired back and then smiled to take the sting out of her words. This man was her only hope of getting off of the ship so she would have to stay on his good side.
He nodded agreement and left her at the door to the grow room. “How much time do you think it’ll take you to get that running?”
“Not long, maybe thirty minutes at the most. Will you be able to get everyone, including Jon and Valentina, on board in that time?”
“I guess I’ll have to, won’t I?” he chuckled at the impossible task to which he had just agreed.
Juila watched him march down the hall on his errand. She turned and let the door shut behind her as she needed to finish her task. Setting the crystal shards on the counter, she pulled out an extra length of wire from the toolbox and spliced it into the existing wire which was hooked up to the aquaponics system.
Her original plan was to have Viceroy Blair use his computer to start the main thrusters. Since she had discovered their power source was the samara, she knew she would be able to perform the duty herself with mind power. By eliminating the step involving the leader of the ship, she would gain precious moments alone to be able to get to her telepod. She hated the idea that her plan was only going to work if Ozias actually got everyone on board.
She used electrical tape to secure the wire to the larger piece of the samara so her flesh would not be in contact with the bare wires. For once, she cursed her efficiency as she noticed only ten minutes had passed. She would have to wait anxiously for another twenty minutes before she could start the engine.
Jena, she thought, I’m almost ready to put my escape plan into action. Please keep really close with me so I can be sure to end up in the right place this time.
She was startled out of her thoughts as the door to the grow-room opened and closed swiftly. Without looking behind her, she assumed the person walking across the floor to be Ozias. Her body froze when she heard an unfamiliar voice.
“I’d heard there was another new woman on board. I’m glad to find you alone. I have the same plans for you as I had for your friend,” he drawled as he reached out a hand to grab her shoulder to turn her around to face him.
“Touch me at your own risk,” she warned.
“Another spitfire, I like that in my women,” he said as he grabbed her anyway.
Juila used the power of the samara to charge her own body with electricity. She smiled wickedly as she heard the man scream in pain and remove his hand immediately. She turned to face him and asked, “What’s your name? It wouldn’t by chance be Grobin, would it?”
“How’d you know?” he stammered.
“I didn’t think there’d be too many mentally deranged bastards on this ship,” she spoke through clenched teeth. “Just what were you saying about my friend, Valentina?”
He recovered some of his swagger as he recalled the good time he had experienced the evening before. “She’s not likely to forget me anytime soon. Ask her how she liked it,” he bragged.
Completely unbidden, Juila could feel a rage of energy course through her body. If she had wanted, she could have killed the man where he stood. She smiled instead as she thought of the future in store for him on Heliok and she restrained her desire.
She knew her time was up. This unbalanced man had changed her plan, so it had to be now or never. Keeping her eyes on Grobin, she used the energy drawn by her anger to surge through the wires into the thruster engine. Under her feet, she felt the rumble of the motor coming to life and pulled the wire away from the samara. She taped off the end to prevent an arc shorting out the system.
With both pieces of samara in her bare hands, she made a daring decision. She gathered elemy from the samara itself and translated herself from the grow-room directly into the open space beside the telepod in the cargo bay. The exercise should have been terribly taxing on her strength, but her fear and anger had pumped her full of adrenaline.
Several people had seen her appear from out of nowhere and they fell backward to keep their distance from her. She had neither the time nor the energy to deal with their ignorant beliefs. She turned and walked up the open ramp into her father’s telepod. Jon was in the same seat he had used on their previous trip.
After sitting down in the pilot’s seat and settling the samara in her lap, she looked over and saw Valentina was also present. She gave her a weak smile as she began the startup procedures. Never before had she sped through the process as she had just then. She selected the home coordinates and saw them displayed correctly on the glass panel.
“We are leaving in six seconds. If you are not on board already, then you will be left behind!” she announced. She heard shuffling of feet and a small sob before she hit the button to close the side door. As soon as she received the green light letting her know the cabin was secure, she punched the activation button to begin the transfer.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“SHE’S ON HER way home!” Jena shouted in excitement. Even though they were all tired from waiting for news through the night, Jena felt her energy surge as she jumped up from the couch and ran out to the garage to see the telepod appear. While the transfer took place, she was unable to touch her sister’s mind, but it did not keep her from knowing her sister was soon to arrive.
Several more seconds ticked by and Jena began to worry something else had gone wrong with the repair Juila had done to the telepod. She had to keep herself from panicking as she waited still longer. Her father came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder as he waited with her.
“The telepod signal was getting stronger when I left the office. She should be here any second,” he stated in an authoritative tone.
Everyone crowded around the doorway when the telepod popped into the garage exactly where it was s
upposed to park. The aircraft settled to the floor and powered down. They began crossing the empty bay of the garage when the side door opened to expose the mob of people crowded within the cabin.
Rasa immediately began to identify which occupants might require mental assistance with the change of scenery and possibly the first telepod ride they had ever taken. She noted the expressions on two people in particular who looked about ready to faint with the shock. She stepped up onto the ramp and put her hand out to the first person who needed her help.
As soon as the first woman moved to walk down the ramp, the others began to follow. They were a silent group who looked around them with wide, terror-filled eyes. They huddled together, not knowing where to go or what to do now that they were off of the transport ship.
“Everyone, please step inside so we can eat and find out what your plans are now that you’re on Earth,” Riccan spoke loud enough for his voice to carry over the entire crowd. “Right this way.” He ushered the first woman through the doorway and into the house. He could see the announcement of being on Earth seemed to enliven some of them.
Jena barely noticed the strangers getting out of the telepod since she was only focused on seeing her sister again. Their mental link was strong again, so she knew Juila was still inside the aircraft. Are you okay?
I am, but Valentina isn’t. I’m afraid something terrible has happened to her.
What happened?
I think she was raped.
Jena could not form a response to her sister’s proclamation. She immediately felt sick for their friend and wanted to be able to help her in any way Valentina would let her. How do you know?
I had a run-in with Grobin just before we left. He made sure to tell me all about what he had done last night with Val. I wanted to kill him, Jena. I came so close.
What did you do?
I translated myself out of the room and into the telepod. We left immediately after that. I don’t know what we should say or do for Val.
I’ll ask Rasa for advice.
Is Rasa here?
She came to help me relink with you, and she wanted to stay until you returned.
Juila unbuckled her seat harness and folded the samara into her shirt. She then helped Valentina out of her seatbelt as well. She pulled her friend’s arm to get her to stand up and turned her around to allow her to exit the cabin out the back door. We’re coming out now.
Jena looked around the garage and saw Rasa was just stepping up to go into the house. She called out, “Rasa! Wait just a moment.” She rushed forward and grabbed her arm as she leaned closer to her and whispered, “We think Val was raped. Can you please talk to her before she has to go inside?”
Rasa nodded without speaking as she turned away from the house and went back across the garage. She rapidly thought about all of the ways in which she could help Valentina up to and including mind swiping. She really did not like the most drastic option considering it took the entire memory away and left a blank space which could cause more damage than the event being removed.
Jon had been relieved to see his sister as they were ushered so rapidly into the telepod when they were on the spaceship. He hated how they were separated for the night, and he really wanted to talk to her. She seemed so closed off to him, and he thought she was probably anxious to get home. When she came back through the cabin, he reached out to touch her arm. She pulled away from him as if in fear, and he frowned with concern as he looked at her face. “What’s wrong, Val?”
“Nothing! Go inside, and I’ll talk to you in a little bit. Tell Behn I’m going to spend the night here,” Valentina said in clipped tones.
“Okay,” he answered slowly and glanced over Valentina’s shoulder to Juila to see if she had any answers for his sister’s strange behavior. He dropped his hand which was still outstretched toward his sister, and he left the cabin. With a final look behind him, he walked across the garage and went into the house.
Jena fell into step beside him and asked, “Are you okay, Jon?”
“Yes, I’m just really tired and hungry,” he answered.
“We’ll get you fed right away,” she laughed in relief. While she felt terrible for what Valentina had experienced, she was overjoyed to have them all return home. “I’m going to call Luke and let him know you are all back. We told him that you guys were in an airplane accident. He’s been worried sick.”
Jon looked down at her and began to laugh. “If only he really knew.”
“No kidding,” Jena agreed and left him in the kitchen while she went upstairs to call Luke from her room. The sooner she got the call done, the faster she could return downstairs to help with all of the new people. The last thing they needed was for Luke to show up unannounced at their house with all of these strangers.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“WE’RE ALONE NOW, Val. Can you tell me what happened to you yesterday? Did Grobin do something to you? Did he rape you, Val?” Juila kept asking questions hoping to get some reaction from her other than the blank stare she had acquired. At her last question, Valentina flinched and crossed her arms over her body as if to protect herself from another attack.
Rasa moved forward, refraining from touching her since she had seen the girl’s reaction to her brother’s touch. “Let’s sit down for a moment,” she suggested and pointed behind them to the rear seats of the telepod.
Valentina moved woodenly and sat where she was told. She refused to make eye contact with anyone. Her mind kept going over the events of the day before, trying to find a way in which she could have prevented the attack. Surely she could have fought harder, screamed louder, or done something to keep Grobin from violating her body. This was all her fault. She had brought this on herself.
“Val, you’re safe now. Grobin is not going to ever hurt you again. He’s going to become a slave on Heliok where he can pay penance for what he’s done to you. Will you please tell us what happened? I promise it will help.” Juila really wished her friend would talk to them. She was on the verge of reading Valentina’s mind when she finally spoke.
“I should have stopped him. It was my fault; I should have stopped him.” She looked up, but her eyes were not seeing anything in the garage. All she could see was Grobin lying on top of her, his foul breath in her face, his body invading hers. She was frozen with fear, anger, and pain.
“She’s suffering from shock,” Rasa announced. “We need to get her upstairs and put some blankets on her to warm her up. She’s as cold as ice.”
“I could translate us to my room. Would you like me to do that?” Juila asked.
Rasa nodded. “I’ll make excuses for us, and then I’ll meet you there. Which room is it?”
“It’s upstairs, first door on the right.”
“Okay, give me a few minutes.”
Using the extra power from the samara in her shirt, Juila put her hand on Valentina’s hand and focused her mind on translating them to her bedroom. Immediately, the power rose to her call, and they shifted instantaneously, so they were seated on her bed. She could not have asked for a better transfer.
She stood up and went to her nightstand where she opened the top drawer and placed the samara inside. She shut the drawer and planned on revisiting the damaged artifact when she was not so urgently needed. Juila immediately turned back to her friend and did what she had promised she would not do: she read Valentina’s mind.
The pictures and feelings she received were so vivid that Juila felt as though everything had been done to herself. She could not believe what her friend had endured, nor could she agree with the overlying monologue in Valentina’s mind.
“No, Val, it was not your fault! Look at me! Look at me, Val! Listen to what I’m telling you; this was not your fault. That man took advantage of you, and he was easily twice your size. You could never have stopped him once he’d made up his mind to hurt you.”
“I could have done something, anything, other than just let him do that to me! Don’t you see? I should have hit h
im over the head, or choked him, or scratched his eyes out. I didn’t do any of those things and he…he…” she could not continue as she began sobbing.
Rasa entered the room at that moment and was relieved to see the girl had begun talking. She knew it was important to have her share what happened, even if it were painful. Otherwise, the story she replayed in her mind would paralyze her forever. She nodded for Juila to keep her talking.
“What did he do, Val? Talk me through everything. Start from the beginning.”
“One of the guards came and took me to a different room. I thought they wanted to question us separately. I sat down in the only chair in the room and waited. The door opened, and a different man walked in.” She looked up at Juila and said, “I thought I recognized him.”
“Was it the leader of the Roanoke Colony? Was it Grobin?” Juila asked.
“Yes! That’s why he looked familiar. How did you know?”
“I met up with him right before we left. Please keep telling me what happened.”
“He said I reminded him of someone he once knew, someone he was going to marry. He was talking about me, Juila. He asked me my name and laughed and said it was the same as the girl he was going to be with. After everything Mom tried to keep us safe from, it wasn’t enough. Grobin still took what he wanted anyway. It was all for nothing! All of those years without our mother and he still got what he wanted!”
“Tell me what happened, Val,” Juila prompted again. She had already seen everything from her mind, but she needed Valentina to say it out loud.
“He grabbed my shoulders, and I screamed. He told me he liked a feisty woman. I spit in his face and dropped to the floor to get away from him. He pinned me to the ground with his body as he ripped my pants off. I kept screaming even as he unbuttoned his pants. He put his hand around my throat, and I thought I was going to pass out, I wish I would have. I saw black spots in my vision, and still, I screamed.
Ascension Vision- The Levels of Ascension Box Set Page 16