Borjon

by Randal Sloan

  “Yes, you must see to your friend in your sickbay and your family with whom you have an announcement to make. Your Marines are going to need you too. We have much to discuss, but that will have to wait. Nevertheless, it is very important that we speak for there are some things you need to be aware of that will affect your future.”

  He smiled, something she somehow sensed; it was not that different from a human one. “This first contact was mostly to help this old man feel better until he can see you,” he told her, “although I did want to communicate what I know about your friend. She is still there, just gone very deeply within herself. You will need the other Master and other help that has already been sent, but I believe it will be enough.”

  Jarra received a ping on her implants. It was from Galen, telling her that they were nearing the edge of Borjon space. “I have to go,” she sent, “but I thank you for your regards.”

  “Yes. Go well, my young friend. I look forward to our future meeting.”

  Master Hadassah had been meditating when the call came in. With his second sight, he’d already known that the Katarina had succeeded beyond all expectations on their mission, but not without cost. He now knew how bad that cost had been, but he had to believe he could help. The Chosen Ones meant a lot to him, especially now that he had met them and felt their strong bond. But it was not going to be easy, which was why he was meditating in an attempt to prepare himself.

  What he was not prepared to deal with were the tears he saw in his dear Jarra’s eyes. “I really believe we can help,” he told her, his own heart torn. He had known enough before they left on the mission to know it was going to come at a cost. He just hadn’t expected to see it up close and personal.

  “Kaeden will direct your paths to allow you to reach us in the shortest possible time. We have resources here that you don’t have, despite all your technologies.”

  He went on to explain about being a Dream Master and what that meant. “I hope to be able to reach her even in her unconscious state and bring her back. Deeper even than your implants can reach.”

  Jarra had given up holding those tears back. To heck with being a Princess. They were now streaming down her face. Despite what the Octarian Master had told her, she was still very worried. “I can’t feel her. I’m so worried, worried that she’s no longer there.”

  “I’m not going to lie,” Master Hadassah told her. “She’s been hurt very badly, her very essence injured. She has gone very deeply within herself. But do not give up hope. If it is possible, I will reach her.”

  Jarra straightened, wiping her tears. “We’ll be there as fast as we can. I’m counting on you, Master.”

  She closed the connection.

  “I know,” Master Hadassah whispered to himself. “I just hope I can still find her. For your sake as well as hers.”

  He would know shortly. The Katarina had just dropped into orbit and as soon as they were docked, he could go aboard. He just hoped they were soon enough.

  Sara awoke on a tiny cot in a dark, grey room. It was almost like the tiny room she’d been given in one of her foster homes before she’d escaped that life, but this one was even gloomier and darker than that. For a moment she was confused. How did I get here?

  Then it came back to her. She was shaken by the revelation, seeming unable to move to help herself as she remembered where she had just been — in battle with Daghol, the evil First Sentinel, and it had been the worst struggle she’d gone through in her short life. Daghol had been so evil and so powerful she’d feared he was going to crush her, or at least the part of her that made her what she was.

  She wasn’t sure what had happened at the end. She’d been trying to use the self-destruct the Aerstone had built in because rightly they feared the Sentinels, despite the fact they were their own creations. In his arrogance, Daghol had let that slip — his only fear. She remembered getting the command code from the Supreme Leader and she thought she’d sent it just before she went under. Or did she?

  Literally shaking, Sara tried once more to force herself to stand long enough to open the single door that was just in front of her so that she could look outside, but she just couldn’t make herself do it. She was terrified to see what might be on the other side, afraid that she would find Daghol waiting. That would mean he had won, and that idea didn’t sit very well with her. Who knew what he would be able to do to her. Turn her into a living puppet, controlling her through her implants? She hoped she was wrong. God, she hoped she was wrong. For long moments she lay there paralyzed, her fear growing stronger by the moment.

  She almost gave up, curling up in a ball on her tiny cot. Then she heard a voice in her head.

  “Hold on, little one. Help is on its way.”

  It took her a moment, but she eventually figured out it was the voice of Adrihel, the Forerunner AI they had discovered early on in their mission. How could she forget that beautiful voice? That was the last voice she expected to hear.

  “Are you really here with me? Or am I going crazy?” she asked.

  “Yes, I am here,” was the quiet answer.

  That brought up another question. “Where are we?”

  “You’re trapped inside of your head. I foresaw this and I left a little bit of myself inside of you so that you would not give in to the terror. If you do, you will go away so far that you will not be able to come back. I did not want that to happen.”

  Listening to that calm voice, Sara found herself finally able to relax. A feeling of peace flowed over her so that for the first time she was able to stop shaking. The room seemed to lighten just a little, but she remained trapped inside. Even with the state she was in, an idea popped into her head, one that she couldn’t resist asking about.

  “Does that mean you’ll remain with me if I ever get out of here? Does that mean I now have an AI in my head?”

  “Not quite like your Princess, but yes, I will remain within you and you will be able to communicate with me if you so desire.”

  Sara smiled at the thought. “That would be so cool. I’ve been quite jealous of the Princess.”

  Suddenly the dull grey of the walls began to lighten. The room seemed to expand and the door she’d been contemplating for so long appeared to expand into an open doorway.

  “It is time,” Adrihel told her. “Help has arrived.”

  “Sara,” she heard, a soft voice calling her. It was so distant, she could barely hear it. She was pretty sure she recognized it, but in her confused state, she couldn’t place it.

  Then she heard a new voice. “Sara, we need you.” Now that voice she recognized for sure.

  “Princess, I can barely hear you. Where are you?” Sara finally dared risk an answer. Surely if Jarra was here, Daghol was gone.

  “You’re trapped deep within yourself. We need you to come back to us. We still have much to do.”

  “I’m so scared,” Sara answered. “Daghol was so evil, I think I ran so far away I’m lost.”

  “It’s okay. He’s gone; you destroyed him. Master Hadassah has led me to you. You can follow us back out.”

  Sara smiled, the first time she’d been able to do so since she’d awakened in that horrid little room. “Lead the way, Your Highness. I think I’m ready.”

  Following the sound of her friend’s voice, Sara rose from that small cot and walked. It seemed to take forever, but gradually the dullness around her began to fade and a brightness replaced it.

  In the small sickbay aboard Katarina, Sara opened her eyes.

  Jarra stood looking at her dear friend. “I suppose you want that AI in your head now,” she told her. As soon as she knew Sara was alright, she snapped awake from her dream state in the bed beside her, quickly jumping up to come stand beside her so that she could see her.

  Sara smiled, although her eyes were still a little haunted. She would have to figure out a way to explain about Adrihel to the Princess. He probably would want some bio-hardware to make things easier for him. The promise of that which she most desired
helped her, but she knew she had a way to go yet; she was so very shaken.

  All of that would have to wait until later, so she merely said, “Oh yeah, that almost makes it worth it all.”

  “You’re going to need it,” Jarra told her. “We already have a new mission!” Excitement danced in her eyes. Now that Sara was okay, she could thrill at the news she had just received.

  “What is it?” Sara had to know. She hadn’t seen Jarra this excited since they’d gotten their new ship. Aeres had been a good ship but the Katarina was special and Jarra had immediately recognized it.

  “The Octarians have spoken to one of our ships. We, specifically our team, have been invited to come visit them!”

  Jarra didn’t miss the look in Sara’s eyes. Sara had picked up on her excitement, but Jarra could see the fear there. She needed time to find herself again and as her friend, Jarra knew it.

  “Don’t worry,” she told her. “We have a little time yet before we leave since we have at least a couple of stops to make. We’ve got to pick up our Marines from their little resort planet and make a visit to Albious Prime. Jason and I have an engagement announcement to make.”

  Sara laughed, surprised that she was able to do so. “I do believe that means I will have won the pool…”

  Excerpts

  Coming Soon - A Far Future Novella - Defenders of the Rim: New Earth

  Master Sergeant Robert Gibbons was still quite angry, despite his stunt he’d pulled off with the package he’d had delivered. Truthfully, he was more worried than angry — his Princess had sent them off to a tropical island resort while she herself had gone away into danger once again. He needed to be there with her! What if something happened to her? He would never be able to forgive himself.

  Never mind that it was her orders that had sent him here. It still wasn’t good. Despite his fear and anger, he hadn’t taken it out on his men. Oh, he’d worked them hard, running them for miles along the beach and then forcing them to swim back. That was just what Marines did. The two on rehab got to ride for the beach run, but the swimming they could do too and he pushed them. By the end of the second week, he’d had them running too, just not the whole distance.

  He was thinking about getting the men to build an obstacle course and pushing them through while using a small part of the package when his thoughts were interrupted. It was Jackson, one of the men he’d sent into the New Earth city called York that sat just across the channel from them. They’d been working on the mission the Princess had given them.

  The master sergeant had quickly realized that the Princess had been right. Something was just a little off about this planet and he intended to figure it out.

  “There’s someone here you need to talk with,” Corporal Jackson told him. He indicated the three teenage girls behind him. “These three overheard a conversation that I believe you will be quite anxious to hear about.”

  The master sergeant looked over the three girls. He could tell that they’d not had it easy. Their clothing was coarse and dirty, and they appeared somewhat malnourished, making it hard to guess their ages. He actually suspected that they were of an age similar to his Princess. All three of them were quite striking and he suspected if they cleaned up, they’d be beautiful.

  The tallest of the three girls spoke up. “I’m Missy, she’s Sissy and the one hiding behind me is Krissy. We have the protection rights on block 85.”

  She saw the look that crossed the Master Sergeant’s face. “Yeah, we’re not just three pretty faces. We keep the gangs under control on our block and we make sure the young children get enough to eat.”

  “There’s a whole network of others just like them,” Jackson told the sergeant. “I can tell you the Princess will want to know about their situation, but that’s not exactly why they’re here now.”

  “There’s a plot to overthrow the government and join up with a group of aliens,” Missy said in excitement. “It’s about to happen and I fear it may be too late to stop it!”

  Master Sergeant Gibbons didn’t hesitate. Something told him if he waited, he wouldn’t be able to get a message out. The Princess needed to know this. “Jackson, get us an outgoing message sent out ASAP. Use our emergency command codes, the ones given us by the Princess. That’s the only way you’ll get through to her.”

  Jackson gave a whistle. “Even with your command codes, that’s going to take a few minutes, Sarge. We’ll have to get a com drone sent from the provisional governor’s office and you know the red tape that’ll take, even for an emergency signal.”

  “Best be about it then. I’ll have a message ready for you well before you’re done with the red tape, but something tells me time is of the essence. Oh, and send Johnson in. I’m going to need him to go pick up our little package from the spaceport.”

  “I’ll do my best, Sarge,” Jackson told him. “Good day, girls,” he said as he turned to leave. One didn’t hesitate when given orders by the Sarge — not more than once.

  “Come with me,” the Master Sergeant told the girls as he led them down to the dining area of the resort facility he and his marines had to themselves. “I’m going to need to hear everything you can tell me about this plot you’ve overheard.”

  “Just who is this Princess?” Missy asked him as they settled into the chairs.

  “Oh, you’ll find out,” the Sarge told her. “Your life will never be the same.”