by C B Williams
Wren clapped her hands. “Well done, Perin. And that is exactly what you’re going to say.”
Eloch relaxed in the bed, absently toying with Little Wonder’s ears and listening to Grale, Mink, and Spider work together. He extended his senses, found Kalea and Wade cleaning up debris and scanning the Cryo beds. Extending farther, he found where Aiko was sleeping, where Wren sat with Perin, and where Grale worked on the Bridge, diligently scanning the ship and the outlying area while they maintained their orbit.
Then Eloch extended farther and became his ship. He felt the hulls and checked for tears in the skin. Remembering Wren’s advice, he allowed Grale to monitor the robotics and make most of the repairs. Eloch worked on the external repairs and gathered the parts of the ship that had broken off and were floating away. He reshaped them and bound them back into his ship’s framework.
Satisfied, Eloch turned his attention to the Solar Farm. He paused in dismay. Without his ongoing attention, many of the plants had withered, some had died. Trees had been uprooted. Water had overflowed its channels and pooled in unlikely places. His creatures had died as well. He could not find one butterfly.
He did what he could to stabilize his forests and meadows, and those who had perished he reabsorbed into the ship.
Later, after the emergency was taken care of, he would recreate each and every one of his plants, creatures, and waterways, vowing that never again would something like this occur. Never again would Wren be forced to activate the fail-safe she had so wisely begged him to create.
Satisfied for the moment, Eloch turned his attention toward a more pressing matter, the object that had wounded him. All this damage, he thought, caused by the small mechanism invisibly lodged in his body. It chilled him to imagine what would happen if such an object were to lodge itself in his beloved Entean or in any of the Sisters, for that matter. They had reason to be afraid.
He made another vow. He would end this.
Eloch wrapped his senses around the spike, recalling what he had seen through the instrument Genji and Spider made. Perin was right. The stake’s shaft was much longer, lodged deep within his body...or at least some form of his body that vibrated at a different frequency than he had ever encountered.
Accustomed to the way a planet experienced her surroundings, Eloch was very familiar with gamma rays. He could feel the gamma energy on the Valiant’s skin as his ship slid through space. It was powerful and harmful to life.
Yet Genji had suggested that not only was the spike vibrating at the gamma ray frequency, but that those who created it vibrated at that energy frequency as well. What kind of species would they be? Perin said the people on the ghost ship looked just like them, like everybody on the Valiant. How could that be? What was he missing?
He continued probing the spike and wondered if he was concentrating too much on the destructive qualities of the gamma ray frequency rather than seeing it as a frequency, an energy, or, as Genji and Spider had explained, a faster-moving wave of light. Obviously, there was a part of him that was already vibrating at that frequency or he would not be as wounded as he was.
What if he allowed his entire body to vibrate at that speed? What then?
Genji sighed. “We’re just running in circles,” he said through clenched teeth. “Let's take a break. Eat something. My Nuri needs to stretch his wings.”
“I think it’s a good stopping place,” said Mink. “While you stretch your wings, Spider and I can install the new sensor on the Bridge.”
“And eat,” said Spider. “I’m feeling rather peckish myself.” He groaned. “And stiff. I’ve been sitting hunched over this screen for too long. What, Genj?” he asked, having noticed Genji’s sudden stillness.
Genji didn’t answer. Looking wide-eyed at something behind Spider, he half rose in his seat, nostrils flaring.
Spider cautiously turned to look. “Oh,” was all he could manage.
Little Wonder darted out of the area where Eloch lay on his pallet, hissing and growling, then paced stiff-legged in front of the entryway. Light pulsed brighter and brighter, so bright it nearly burned, forcing Spider to shield his eyes. Suddenly, the light was gone.
Spider glanced at both Genji and Mink. “D-did you two see what I just saw?”
All three lunged up out of their seats and scrambled to the opening to peer in at Eloch.
“Where did he go?” Spider whispered.
Mink scooped Little Wonder up off the floor and smoothed her ruffled fur.
Genji stood silently, his brows drawn together.
Wren came tearing into the med lab, her eyes wide. She gasped when she saw the empty bed. “I felt him...and then I didn’t anymore,” she said and reached for Little Wonder, taking her from Mink. “What happened?” She held the sniffer close.
“I believe Eloch was experimenting with frequencies,” Genji said. “There can be no other explanation."
“What can we do?” Wren asked him.
Spider raced back to his work area and snatched up the makeshift frequency scanner. He held it up in front of the bed, looked at the screen, and gasped. “Look!” he said, holding it so the four of them could watch through the viewer.
Through the screen, they saw Eloch sitting up on his pallet, examining his right shoulder. He had splayed the fingers of his right hand around the spike, hand flat on his chest, thumb holding his shoulder still. With his left hand, he gripped the device and slowly pulled it out of his body.
“It’s so much longer than the copy he made for us,” Genji said and winced.
Through the viewer, they saw Eloch slump against the pillows.
Wren gasped, took half a step toward the empty bed. Mink touched her shoulder. “Wait, Wren,” she whispered calmly.
Gripping the spike, Eloch slowly lowered it down to his lap. With his other hand, he shakily rubbed at the area where the spike had been.
“Interesting,” Genji said, leaning forward to touch the rim of the scanner.
Through the viewer, they watched Eloch study the device, turning it this way and that. He wiped it on the bedsheets, apparently cleaning it. Looking down at his chest, he wiped the injured area as well before easing himself back against the bed. For several moments, he was still. Then his image began to fade from the viewer.
“Wha—?” Wren began.
“Close your eyes!” Genji shouted as light again flared into the room.
When they opened their eyes, Eloch was back in the bed, grasping the now-visible device. He nodded at them and held up the spike. “I did it,” he said as the color returned to his face.
“Can you explain what just happened?” Wren asked, trying to decide if she was relieved or angry or both.
"Since something was in me that could be seen on Genji's scanner, I wondered if I could take all of me to that place and then pull it out." He held up the device. "And apparently I can."
Wren handed the sniffer back to Mink and reached out to take the device from Eloch. Without shifting her gaze away from Eloch, she handed it to Genji. "Will you all please leave so Eloch and I can have a moment of privacy?" she asked, her voice flat. She waited, arms folded, until they had shuffled out.
When it was just the two of them, Wren climbed onto the bed, covering Eloch’s body with her own. He was so big she could stretch out flat if she wanted to. Instead she curled around him until she felt Eloch's arms wrap around her.
As he gently stroked her back, she laid her cheek on his chest and listened to his heart beat. It was steady and strong, just like him. She sighed, allowing herself to relax into the moment.
Finally, she lifted her head and gazed into his deep green eyes. "I can take a lot, Eloch," she said, "but losing you?" She shook her head. "That would destroy me."
Eloch pushed back Wren's coilmats and took her face in his hands. "You will never lose me, my heart. You are my home."
She sighed and rested her cheek on his broad chest again. “Does it hurt?”
“Not really. Just a slight twinge.”
/>
“You wiped it. Was there blood?” She shivered.
“I don’t know what it was. Some clear, viscous matter. I started healing as soon as I pulled the stake out.”
“And now?”
“I’m continuing to heal.”
“Good,” she sighed.
Chapter 14
Decisions
Since a meeting was scheduled in an hour, Grale took it upon himself to wake Aiko. She’d been sleeping for six hours, so he figured she was rested enough. Even if she wasn’t, he knew she’d be spitting mad if she slept through a meeting.
He knocked softly on the door to her cabin and waited a few moments. When there was no response, he waved his hand across the activation panel. It slid open, and he called her name in a low voice. When there was still no response, he went in.
In the dim light, Grale could barely see her where she was all curled up in a ball on the bed. He stood at the foot of the bed, watching her breathe, her chest rising and falling, her hands tucked under her pillow.
Aiko’s face was relaxed, and he tried to remember the last time he saw her that relaxed. Then he wondered if he had ever seen her that way. He wasn’t sure. Maybe at that party about three years ago. That time he thought that maybe...
He stomped on his thoughts. Didn’t matter what he thought. Nothing happened, so he squashed that hopeful “what if” dream before it could overtake him again.
No, he decided, he had never seen Aiko look relaxed. When she was awake, she was all focus. It surprised him, but he liked that about her. Truth was, there was a lot about Aiko he liked. It just seemed like there was never the right time to tell her what he liked about her. It was beginning to eat at him.
They’d been flying together for nearly twenty years. That was longer than he’d known anyone else, ever. And the thing was, he felt like he’d just scratched the surface of getting to know her. And he really did want to get to know her.
Without thinking, Grale moved to sit beside her. She was sleeping so soundly the sag from his weight didn’t even make her stir. So he reached out tentatively and stroked her hair.
It slipped through his fingers like water.
He leaned forward and inhaled. She smelled fresh, a little like flowers and a lot like Aiko. Feeling foolish, Grale straightened. She was so small, he thought, in her tiny ball, just like his nickname for her. That made him grin.
“Kitten,” he said as he stroked her head. “Time to wake up.”
Aiko was instantly awake. She shot up fast, giving him no time to move out of the way.
They collided.
“My nose!” he cried out, cupping his face. “You smashed my nose!” he moaned and ground out a string of swear words.
“Sorry,” Aiko said, still a little groggy. She rubbed her forehead. “Ouch,” she muttered. “That hurt.”
“Is it bleeding?” he asked, his eyes tearing up.
“Let me see. Move your hands, I can’t see.”
Grale lowered his hands.
She peered at his face, “No, no blood. Lots of snot, but no blood.”
Grale cupped his face again. “That’s good. Hurts like a son of a bitch.” He blinked at her through his tears. “You sure know how to kill a moment,” he groused.
She stilled, very much aware she was wearing nothing but a T-shirt. “What are you doing in here, Grale?” she asked, eyes narrowing.
“There’s a meeting in ten in the galley...the usual one, not the makeshift one. Didn’t think you’d want to miss it.” He gingerly felt his nose. “You sure it’s not broken?”
Aiko grinned. “Who knew the Cowboy was such a big baby? No, it’s not broken. You may end up with a couple of black eyes, but it’s not broken, I can assure you.”
She leaned closer to him. “How about my forehead? Am I starting to get a bruise?”
He took her head in his hands and turned it toward the little bit of light leaking from the bathroom. “Might be a bump there.” He grinned wolfishly, “Want me to kiss the booboo?”
Aiko refused to acknowledge the burning in her cheeks. “No, thank you. A meeting in ten, you say? Will you leave, then, so I can get ready?”
“Yeah, of course, your ladyship,” he said, rising. “You’re going to need plenty of time to disguise that nasty bump.” He paused at the doorway and turned to look at her. “If I ever need to I wake you again, I think I’ll poke you with a stick or something.”
Aiko laughed. “Go blow your nose before the meeting, Cowboy, and thanks for waking me.”
Aiko had been worried she was late but, to her surprise, Mink was the only one in the galley when she entered. She blew out a breath, happy she could relax and grab a cup of coffee, glad the galley was back online and she didn’t have to wait long.
She filled her mug and took a seat by Mink, sampling the rich brew. She glanced at Mink and smiled. “I can never decide which I like more, the flavor or the scent of a good cup of coffee.” She took another sip. “This one’s got both.”
Mink gave her a smile. “You’re looking more rested than the last time I saw you.”
Aiko nodded. “Feel more rested, too. Those were an intense forty-eight hours. You get any rest?”
Mink shook her head. “But I think I’ll be able to soon. Curious to hear why Eloch called this meeting. It was pretty wild what happened earlier, removing that spike and all.”
Aiko felt her brows rise. “The spike is out? I thought the only thing we could do was jam the signal.”
“That’s all we could do, but Eloch could do more.” Mink summarized what transpired at the med lab.
Aiko was silent for a few moments, taking another sip of her coffee, nodding to Genji and Kalea as they entered the room and found their seats. “I wish I had seen that,” she told Mink.
“Seen what?” Grale asked as he joined them. Perin was on his arm, and he gently guided her to a chair. Then he settled in beside Aiko as Spider and Wade strolled in and headed to the beverage dispensers.
“Mink was telling me how Eloch managed to extract the spike from his shoulder.”
Grale nodded. “I wished I could have seen that one, too.”
She studied him as he spoke. There was a little blackening under his eyes, and she felt a twinge of guilt. “How’s the nose?”
“Hurts. But like you said, it’s not broken. And your forehead?”
She smiled. “There’s a small bump. Doesn’t hurt. I’m sorry you got clipped.”
He shrugged. “Wasn’t your fault.” He looked at her half-finished coffee. “That looks like a good idea.” He rose. “Want a refill?”
“Thanks,” Aiko replied, handing him her mug. She watched him move away, then turned to the group. She sensed a shift in her friends. Everyone felt nervous and skittish. She did as well.
But they had survived. That thought flooded her with a deep sense of satisfaction. They had survived. They had protected Eloch. They had all leaned on each other’s strengths, and they’d survived.
Genji glanced at her. “What is it, Aiko?” he asked.
“I was just thinking how well we all work together in a crisis. I was thinking how good that feels.” She took the mug Grale held out to her. “Thanks, Cowboy,” she said. When she looked back at Genji, he was smiling. They all were.
“Yeah,” Genji said. “It does feel good.”
“What feels good?” Wren asked as she and Eloch entered the room.
“We survived. We pulled together and survived,” Aiko said. “Good to see you back with us, Eloch. And,” she said squinting at what he was holding, “what is that in your hand?”
Eloch held it up. “The reason we’re here,” he answered. “It’s what was in me, and it’s also the Something That Comes, the thing Entean and Her Sisters are so afraid of.” He paused. “They have just cause,” he added. “This must end. Now.”
As one, Eloch and Wren sat. Genji held out his hand, and Eloch gave him the alien device in it.
Aiko blinked. “It’s much bigger than I thoug
ht it would be.”
Eloch nodded. “It was buried pretty deep inside my body.”
“Mink told me how you pulled it out.” She grimaced. “Must have hurt.”
“Not as much as you’d think. But I’m not sure why,” Eloch mused.
“Perhaps everything vibrates at such a faster pace in that frequency?” Spider guessed.
“Maybe.”
Genji carefully probed the device, muttering, “Can’t wait to dismantle this and find out how it works.”
“I want to know what it’s for,” said Spider.
“I’m not sure we will know what it’s used for until we can discuss it with the ones who did this to me,” Eloch said.
Everyone around the table went silent.
Eloch looked at Wren, who nodded and leaned against him.
“As you all know by now,” he said, “in order for me to rid myself of this device, I had to match my frequency to its frequency, to where it originated. Then, after its removal, I slowed both it and myself down so I could again return to this frequency. I believe if I can do that, then I should also be able to do the same thing with the Valiant and everything within it, including all of you.”
Aiko scanned the faces of the group, knowing beyond a doubt that her face expressed the same skepticism she saw on those around her.
“The Valiant,” Grale said into the silence, “is quite a bit larger than that stake Genji’s holding.”
“Yes and no,” Eloch said and glanced again at Wren. “Over the years, this ship has become more and more a part of me. I’m sure you’re aware of that.”
“Well, if we weren’t, we sure are now. It nearly fell apart while you were under the influence of that thing,” Wade said, nodding at the device still in Genji's grasp.
Eloch nodded. “And because the ship is part of me, I can move the Valient to that frequency as easily as I can move myself.”