Etheric Adventures Boxed Set: Books 1-3

by S. R. Russell

  Anne looked shocked. “Bethany Anne can do that?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but I suspect she could, and I sure as hel…eck don’t want to find out the painful way,” he informed Anne with all seriousness.

  Stevie was working diligently, designing three different body styles for Seshat to pilot.

  “Anne and Jinx have just come out of the Pod-doc.” Seshat’s voice suddenly coming from her tablet had Stevie jumping backward.

  “Crap,” groaned Stevie. “She doesn’t have her tablet with her, does she?”

  “You are correct; her tablet is in her apartment,” Seshat responded.

  “Fudge, fudge, fudge,” Stevie grumbled.

  “What’s wrong?” Seshat enquired.

  “I don’t have any way… Hey, you could give her a message, right?” Stevie entreated.

  “Certainly,” Seshat replied calmly. “What would you like me to tell her?”

  “Just tell her I hope she’s okay, and I’ll see her after lunch,” Stevie said, which sounded lame to her own ears.

  “I’ll take care of it. You know, if you visited the Pod-doc, you could have the same type of transceiver installed that Anne and Jinx have and talk to them or me directly,” Seshat observed.

  “Would they be able to hear what I’m thinking?” Stevie wondered.

  “Of course not!” Seshat admonished. “You’d have to actively communicate with them. Then it’s just like talking, except you don’t speak.”

  “Hey, no dog command jokes,” Stevie teased.

  “What? No ‘see Spot sit,’ ‘see Spot run,’ ‘see Spot tell his owner to fuck off?’” Seshat responded sweetly.

  Stevie rolled onto her side, roaring with laughter. “Oh my God, you’re horrible!”

  “You’re laughing instead of fretting now,” Seshat pointed out.

  Stevie managed to nod in agreement. “Point taken, and thanks.”

  “When will you start my first body?” Seshat queried.

  “As soon as we can set up manufacturing space on 3PO. I’ll have the designs finished for you to look over in another day or two. I don’t know your capabilities, but if we could afford one of those 3D holotanks, could you run it?”

  “If you’re talking about something like a 3D combat display, I could run several of them at the same time,” Seshat informed the Were.

  “There are a series of superhero movies from Earth. One involves this super-genius eccentric guy who develops his own flying metal combat suit. He has a 3D design computer. Review the movies and let me know what it would take to develop something like that,” Stevie suggested eagerly.

  A few minutes later, Seshat answered Stevie. “Creating the image is within current capabilities. It would be the ability to track your fingers or a stylus that we’d need to resolve.”

  Stevie looked at her hand. “How would we track fingers?” she wondered.

  “For a human, I would suggest the Pod-doc to implant microtransmitters into the fingers, but they would need to have some sort of wires run up the finger into the body to power them,” Seshat told Stevie. “With your shifter ability, I’m not sure that would work.”

  “Bistok droppings!” Stevie grumbled. “I’ve never been sorry to be a Were before. Weres tap into the Etheric in some way, don’t they?”

  “That is something you’d have better luck discussing with Anne. So little was known about the UnknownWorld before Bethany Anne that there are not many sources for me to acquire information. For now, you could possibly design and use a glove that had tracking units in the fingertips.”

  “Let’s work on that,” Stevie exclaimed. “I’ll wear gloves if it lets me design quicker and easier.”

  What followed was a long conversation that detailed the sort of projection grid and video coverage Seshat would need to accurately track hand movements, along with the type of gloves the wearer would need to contribute to the system.

  Anne got Jinx some fresh water, then dropped onto the couch of her common room.

  Seshat, what sort of updates do we have? Anne asked, making sure to include Jinx in her conversation in case her furry friend had anything to add.

  >>Stephanie sends her regards and hopes everything went well with the Pod-doc, and says she’ll see you after lunch,<< Seshat started, then continued, >>3PO is now stabilized in its final orbit. I’m trying to determine the best way to get a ground-penetrating radar survey done to see if there were any fractures created while moving the asteroid. We need to be aware of any new ones before we start excavating. It’s proving difficult to find equipment capable of doing the job we need.<<

  How so?

  >>Most such equipment is designed for terrestrial use and has tracks or wheels so it can be driven over the ground to be surveyed. It’s not made to traverse the sort of terrain found on the surface of an asteroid.<<

  Does it have to be on the surface? Anne wondered

  >>No. In an atmospheric environment, the closer to the surface, the better. In a vacuum, it isn’t as much of a concern.<<

  How big or strong or whatever you measure by do we need? Anne was thinking about options.

  >>Since I’m looking for faults that could interfere with maintaining atmosphere, I’d like something that could scan at least twenty five meters<<

  We can patch cracks, right? Anne couldn’t quite hide her concern.

  >>Certainly<< Seshat reassured her friend. >>However, if we found a large area of structural destabilization, it might benefit us to either cover it from the outside before it is hollowed out or stay farther from the surface in that instance.<<

  What is the size of the device you need? Could an executive Pod transport it? Anne wondered.

  >>No. The unit is about the size of an executive Pod, but wider.<< Seshat’s frustration came through in her mental voice.

  Jinx leapt over the couch. Transformer Girl! she announced, entering the conversation.

  Oh, like the movie? Anne remembered a transformer movie series on Earth where giant robots could change shape into normal-looking vehicles.

  Yes, Jinx proclaimed, pleased with her idea. Stevie is planning to make bodies already. Have her make one that flies and comes apart to fit around the equipment Seshat wants to use. Then Seshat can fly the radar thingie around 3PO and get the readings she wants.

  >>That would work<< Seshat confirmed. >>Thank you, Jinx!<<

  Anne hugged Jinx, pleased with her four-footed friend, but she couldn’t help teasing, Why is it so many of your ideas come from shows and movies?

  I hear and learn stuff in your school, Jinx told her, but I remember things better if I see them. Even things like the transformer robots. Matrix says there is no way a twenty-foot-tall robot can shrink down to a compact car. Watching something seems to make better links in my brain that I can use for other ideas.

  >>That makes sense. There are studies from Earth that claim dogs learn via scent best, followed by visual cues, with verbal training coming in last.<<

  Jinx chuffed, So, when someone finally invents that smell-a-vision everyone talks about, dogs will take over the world!

  Anne held a hand in front of Jinx and wiggled all her fingers. I think you need to be able to hold and use tools before you can take over the world, my dear.

  That’s what minions are for. Every arch-villain has minions, Jinx countered.

  And when all your minions climb big trees? Anne retorted.

  Jinx sighed. Fine! Rain your logic on my plans to take over the Universe.

  Do you really want to have to be responsible for ruling the Universe? Anne teased her friend.

  Jinx looked up at Anne. That sounds horrible. I didn’t think this plan all the way through!

  Anne giggled and gave Jinx a good scratch behind her ears. Good, so you don’t need to be some sort of villain! You’re a founding member of the team and made a valuable contribution.

  Jinx’ ears perked up, and her tail started to wag vigorously. Steak-valuable? she asked.

  What about hamburger
s tonight, and steak for all of us when Seshat does her survey? Anne suggested.

  If I have to wait, I get a really big steak! Jinx proclaimed. After all, my idea is good.

  You’re right, it is, Anne admitted. It’s just, Stevie will want to celebrate her success, and that way, she can join us also.

  All right, Jinx relented, but I want two burgers tonight!

  Anne scooted sideways on the couch so she could put her arm over Jinx’ back and give her a hug. That’s fair, she acknowledged.

  Chapter Eight

  “This is a bad idea,” Peter warned John Grimes.

  “Bethany Anne said that she wanted Anne’s combat abilities tested,” John insisted, “and everyone agrees she’ll fight harder if Jinx is in danger.”

  Peter held up his hands. He knew the skills Anne had acquired since she began and also knew how much more vicious she was when Jinx was in danger. “Your funeral,” he advised John.

  Anne and Jinx arrived as ordered at one of the workout rooms. Anne saw Peter and John standing together across the room and decided to head toward them. She had gotten three steps into the room when she and Jinx were interrupted by a couple of Guardian Marines. Each of the Marines was holding a vest, and both looked somewhat embarrassed. “You're supposed to wear these,” the first Marine said as he handed Anne a vest. The second Marine knelt and secured a vest around Jinx’ neck and body. Anne heard an ominous click and looked down to see a lock on Jinx’ vest.

  "What's with the monkey suit?" Anne glared at Peter and John.

  John stepped up to Anne with a smile on his face. “Bethany Anne wanted me to do an evaluation today."

  John smacked Anne on the shoulder, and Jinx spun and yipped.

  It bit me, Jinx protested to Anne.

  John flashed Anne a brief smile. “When you take a hit, Jinx gets shocked," he explained.

  WTF? Anne thought as she grabbed John's wrist and flipped him over her back. By the time John hit the ground, both he and Anne were in the Etheric.

  "Don't go anywhere," Anne spat. “We'll be right back!"

  Peter had hardly registered that Anne and John were gone before she reappeared beside Jinx.

  "Do I have to deal with you also?" Anne demanded as she tried to tear the vest off Jinx without hurting her.

  "Ouch, damn!" Anne cursed as the fingernails of her right hand grew to three-inch-long claws that pierced her palm. Anne carefully opened her fingers to free her claws from her hand with minimal damage.

  As she held her bleeding hand up to her face, she thought she heard Peter mutter something about her not needing any more advantages. Anne watched in fascination as the puncture marks stopped bleeding and healed. She carefully flexed her fingers to make sure her hand hadn't taken any permanent damage. She noticed her blood was beading into little droplets on her new claws like water would on the hood of a freshly waxed car. A quick flick of her hand saw blood droplets fly across the room, and her claws were once again in pristine condition.

  It took Anne a few seconds to figure out how to get the claws on her left hand to disappear while retaining the claws on her right. Once she had mastered that trick, she told Jinx to hold still as she inserted the tip of one claw under the vest that had been locked onto her friend.

  Peter coughed faintly. “You know you could just break the lock?"

  "Dummy me," Anne commented as she concentrated on getting the claws on her right hand to retract. "I didn't think of that."

  Anne stuck a finger into the hasp, took a tight grip on the body of the lock, and yanked with all her strength. Anne found herself struggling to remain upright as the hand pulling on the lock flew up in front of her face, sending metal sailing across the room.

  Peter knelt and started stripping the vest off Jinx.

  "You know a little tug would've done, don't you?" Peter asked quietly as he observed Anne looking at the lock in shock.

  "But it's a metal lock!" Anne protested.

  "You need to get a grip on who and what you are. Like it or not, you're what we used to call a vampire. The term nowadays is ‘Enhanced Human’ since you people no longer need to drink blood to survive." Peter raised an eyebrow. “You know who Nathan Lowell is?"

  "He's Christina's dad, right?"

  Peter sat back and howled with laughter. “Oh, oh God! On...on...only you," Peter finally choked out, "could reduce the bogeyman of the Wechselbalg nation to 'Christina's dad!’"

  Anne looked at Peter like he had gone crazy. “But he is, right?"

  Peter nodded. “He is, but for several generations, he's also been the bogeyman. Were mothers would tell their kids if they didn't behave, Nathan Lowell would come for them."

  "Seriously?" Anne stared at Peter.

  “As a heart attack," the Guardian Commander confirmed. "And as big and tough and scary as Nathan Lowell is, he has a saying about vampires. I'm paraphrasing, but it's something along the lines of ‘If you know where a vampire is, you need to be somewhere else.’"

  Anne's "oh" ended in a sigh.

  "It doesn't matter if it was the good Kurtherians or the bad ones, both sides were looking for combat troops." Peter pointed a finger at Anne. “You are one side’s version of human combat troops." He pointed a thumb at himself. "And I'm the other side’s. How long do you plan on leaving John there?"

  “I’m thinking five minutes should get the message across. If it’s my combat abilities he wants to test, I think abandoning an enemy in the Etheric is a pretty good tactic,” Anne replied somewhat sourly.

  Anne was still crouched beside Jinx. Give me a moment once we get back to the Etheric. I want to see if I can make the mist around us thicker, then you hit him from behind. Don’t stay on him. Just distract him enough that I can grab him to drag him back to the MR.

  Jinx growled her agreement.

  Anne brought them into the Etheric far enough away from John that she’d have a few seconds to test her theory.

  Concentrating on her desired results, Anne swirled her finger like she was mixing chocolate syrup into milk.

  John Grimes had been in the Etheric enough times with Bethany Anne that being stuck there didn’t freak him out like it had done to some of Bethany Anne’s victims. However, after several minutes, he had to admit the swirling mist was unsettling.

  John was standing quietly, wondering how long Anne would keep him waiting, when his right arm was hit from behind by one hundred and thirty pounds of angry German Shepherd.

  John was well-trained, with a lot of combat experience. He simply rotated with the blow to negate the force of the attack. As he realized that Jinx wasn’t biting down with the full power of her jaws, he was hit from the side at knee level.

  John hit the floor of the training room and sprang to his feet. A quick survey of the area showed him that Jinx and Anne were bracketing him.

  “Are we done?” Anne asked.

  “What? No, we—” John broke off and shook a finger at Anne. “All right, I’m willing to admit that dropping someone in the Etheric is a good strategy. BA has used it on occasion.” John smiled at fond memories as he finished.

  He watched Anne, his smile fading to concern when a ball of dark energy formed over her hand and started to split into orbs about the size of chicken eggs, if chicken eggs were round.

  Remembering the charred and dead body of an alien when three idiots had tried to steal Jinx, John nodded, acknowledging the orbs for the weapon they were.

  Not wanting to find out what it was like to be hit by them, he asked, “What sort of control do you have?”

  Anne’s expression indicated her level of concentration as she answered, “Pretty good, actually. I’ve been stepping into the Etheric and practicing.”

  John glanced around and noticed Peter was holding the vest they had placed on Jinx. Willing to admit the vest might not have been his brightest idea, he nodded at the Guardian Commander. “Set that up against the wall, please?”

  As soon as Peter had moved away from her target area, Anne started th
e orbs moving in a circular pattern above her hand. The pattern sped up briefly, then one after another of the orbs peeled away from the pattern and streaked over to impact the vest.

  Glancing at the charred and smoking ruin of the vest, John was glad those orbs hadn’t struck him.

  He queried, “If I apologize and admit it was wrong to do that to Jinx, will you forgive me and go a couple of rounds of hand to hand with me? So I can get an evaluation in to Bethany Anne.”

  Anne stood glaring at John for several seconds before finally nodding. “Sure,” she agreed with a smile.

  After several more seconds had passed with Anne not moving, John asked, “Well?”

  Anne shrugged. “Still waiting.”

  John swallowed his automatic reaction and evaluated carefully. Bistok shit, he thought to himself. This one’s smart in a prickly sort of way.

  “I am sorry for putting that vest on Jinx. Several people told me it was a mistake, and I ignored their warnings and advice. Please forgive me,” John declared solemnly.

  Anne nodded and smiled brightly. “You’re forgiven,” she declared. “This time.”

  John returned her smile and inclined his head in acceptance of her implied warning. “Shall we?”

  Anne was soaked with sweat and sore all over. Along with that, she had a much better understanding of Jinx’ complaint regarding fighting something that outmassed you significantly.

  Her Pod-doc upgrades had definitely been worth the time. Although she had bruising over a lot of her body, she hadn’t suffered any broken bones. It was just that John was so much bigger, in every sense of the word, than she was. This meant she had no way to stand against his attacks. He was always forcing her backward. Even using her claws had only granted her an additional second, more from surprise, she thought, than damage. He had healed almost as fast as she could cut him.

  John rubbed the odd spot that was sorer than the rest of his body. “Well done,” he praised the young woman. “You did yourself and your trainers proud. Bethany Anne will be very pleased with your progress.”