Baswin

by Aurora Springer

  Back in Bathos, Holly went in search of her sister.

  She found Rosie and Lana sitting together in the galley, and took a seat opposite them.

  “Hi, Holly.” Rosie arched her eyebrows. “You were away for ages. Did you find the missing pup?”

  Nodding, Holly said, “It took a while. I went to the Warrish base and scried the luma pup with a jelsquid. We swam to another dance arena and Nikki asked the jelsquid for help. They carried the pup to us.”

  Lana reached across the table to touch the back of Holly’s hand. “You’re happy. Happier than I’ve sensed before.”

  Flushing, Holly glanced at Rosie. Her sister’s thoughtful expression suggested she had guessed the reason for her happiness. But they couldn’t tell Lana the truth about Baswin. Not yet. She fudged a vague response, “I’ve several reasons to celebrate. I helped restore the baby luma to its mother. We’ve almost finished those tests and nine of us can sense hyperspace.”

  “That’s good news,” Rosie agreed. “The final three Psi Techs will be tested tomorrow.”

  “And, we’re flying to Rishalt,” Holly said.

  “True,” Lana said. “Yet, I’m an empath. I can sense you’re hiding a secret source of joy.” She smiled. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe. I can’t read your mind.”

  “You’re correct,” Holly admitted. “Once we’re on the starship to Rishalt, I hope to tell you the truth.”

  “Brilliant.” Rosie winked at her sister.

  At this juncture, the African psychics came into the galley, eager to announce their success while honoring the prohibition on revealing details.

  After chatting for another hour, they separated for their daily work shifts. Holly and Lana went to the Greenery, while Rosie helped Tammy to prepare the next meal.

  NEXT MORNING, THE TEST of the final three candidates was less successful. When the three Americans entered the galley for the midday meal, Marie’s eyelids were reddened and she looked miserable.

  As they passed the Moon sisters’ table, Rosie asked quietly, “What’s the matter?”

  Ruby said bluntly, “Marie can’t sense hyperspace.” She rolled her eyes and shrugged as if it had little importance. “Shauntelle and I were accepted.”

  Wiping a hand across her teary eyes, Marie protested, “The spirits can’t communicate on this horrid ice moon.”

  “Never mind,” Shauntelle said sympathetically. “You’ll be flying home soon.”

  Offering a distraction, Rosie said, “Taxyon Two is leaving this evening with the wounded soldiers and their medics. Maybe you can fly home with them.”

  “I’m glad they’re going home.” Holly refrained from mentioning her relief at Owen’s departure. She had dreaded saying goodbye to her ex-boyfriend.

  A swift departure might be some consolation for Marie, although Ruby and Shauntelle were stuck without a third sister for their nascent triad. Holly remembered her uncertainty about their prospects after their first putative sister, Amrita, abandoned the program to get married. But she, like the others, avoided further discussions about the broken pseudo-triad.

  Chapter 32

  WHEN THE STARSHIP’S arrival was announced two days later, Baswin was keen to begin the journey to his home world. He called Alarik to give him the good news. Then, he tossed his spare tunic, sturdy boots and few toiletries in his pack. Shouldering the pack, he strode along the curved passages and joined the other travelers outside the alcove with the Qtrans.

  Nikki held Silna, while Kiron carried the pups in a basket covered by a blanket. The three Black Arrows greeted Baswin with triplicate grins. They shared his eagerness to depart.

  Standing at the control panel, Parrish, the Second of the Gold Band Triad, asked, “Ready to dive?”

  Nikki said, “We’ll go first and settle the lumas in their new berth.” As a female and favored by Prime Jadel, nobody on the base would dispute her claim to priority.

  Parrish placed his left hand across his chest. Gesturing to the alcove, he said, “Swim in calm seas, Brisa Bell and Brin Ramis, and may the Great Mother shower you with her blessings.”

  Granting him a smile, Nikki said, “Calm seas, Parrish. We expect to return within six hexads unless some emergency intervenes.”

  He bowed. “Or the schemes of our enigmatic Primes wash you into a new current.”

  “We all must endure that chance.” Looking at her partner, she said, “You go first.”

  Waving his hand in a casual farewell, Kiron carried the basket of pups into the Qtrans. Mist swirled across the alcove and Kiron vanished.

  Nikki and Silna followed.

  Crossing his hands over his chest, Torris bade farewell. A second later, his brothers performed the same gesture. One after the other, the Black Arrow Triad entered the Qtrans.

  Baswin was left standing by Parrish. Instead of leaving immediately, he asked, “Where are the tripilot candidates, the psychics from Earth?”

  Arching his striped eyebrows, Parrish quipped, “Do you imagine two starships would be deployed for the same journey?”

  “No.” Baswin gave a rueful smile. “I suppose we’ll travel on the same starship.”

  “They will transfer by the Qtrans on Topside. You may endeavor to meet them during the three or four cycles of the hyperspace journey.”

  “Appreciated. And, I’ll be able to join my brothers on Rishalt.” Offering the standard farewell, Baswin added, “Whether we meet again or not, good Parrish, may Warra bless you with good health and happiness.” Without waiting for a reply, he jumped into the hazy Qtrans.

  ON BATHOS, THE TRIPILOT candidates had also packed in preparation for the journey. Unlike Baswin, the psychic women were nervous about traveling to a strange planet and enrolling in the school for tripilots. Early in the day, they were summoned to the galley. Each person carried the single bag allowed for their possessions.

  Director Albright stood in front of the serving counter. He waved at a man with a trolley. “Jones will cart your luggage to Topside. Warrish security insists on inspecting every item before the bags are transported onto their starship.”

  While the tech hefted bags onto his trolley, Al gave a short farewell speech. He concluded, “I won’t wish you ‘calm seas’ like our alien friends. I reckon you’ll make a bloody great splash. Churn up the seas on Rishalt. You’re the future of our space program.”

  Inspired by his encouraging words, the eleven Psi Techs clapped their hands enthusiastically.

  Rosie shouted, “Bye, Al. We love you and Tammy.”

  Everybody cheered.

  He stabbed his finger at the exit. “Off to the Bullet.”

  By now, Jones had disappeared with their luggage.

  Waving goodbye, the psychics walked to the cable-car and ascended though the ocean to Topside.

  Holly and Rosie stood close together, not far from Lana, while the other candidates also kept in their pseudo-triads. The two remaining psychics from Americontinent looked glum, anxious about their future without a third sister.

  Holly’s imagination bounced between her two biggest worries. What would she feel during the process of disintegration and reintegration during the quantum teleportation? And, would she be allowed to see Baswin on the starship? She had less fear for their future on Rishalt. Or not yet. It still seemed a distant, unimaginable prospect.

  At the upper exit, a security guard met them and shepherded the eleven girls through a maze of corridors and airlocks to a sealed door bearing a symbol of three entwined spirals.

  The guard punched a blue button on the side panel.

  After a five-minute delay, the door slid open to reveal a Warrish man wearing a brown tunic and a grim expression. His erect hair had stripes of alternating gold and brown and a band of the same colors marked his left cheek.

  Holly had seen one of his triad brothers in the Warrish base.

  “Overwarder Kalpar,” he announced abruptly. “Proceed down the tunnel to the Qtrans.”

  Propelled by his authoritative
tone, the candidates obeyed without uttering complaints or questions.

  At the bottom of the sloping passage, they entered a room with circular walls. A younger Warrish man with the same gold striped hair as Kalpar stood by a cylindrical alcove with his hand resting on top of a panel marked in strange symbols.

  The Overwarder pointed a finger at the man by the alcove. “Underwarder Gavarin will activate the Qtrans to transfer you to the starship. Enter on his signal.”

  The Li clones pushed to the front of the candidates and stated in unison, “We will go first. We are the only true triad of psychic sisters.”

  Holly stepped aside. She was content for them to be the first to undergo the quantum dis-incorporation. However, she believed their claim for precedence was unjustified. Mia and Ennis were true tripilots. The sisters shared a close connection to each other, at least as close a link as she had with Rosie. Yet, Mia and Ennis did not speak or act as a single entity. As far as she could tell, they had separate love interests. Holly deduced that tripilots did not require the unity promoted by the Li clones.

  One after the other, the Li sisters walked into the misty cylinder and disappeared.

  The trio from the United African Federation were the next to cross to the starship.

  Rosie pressed Holly’s fingers. “There’s space for two people in that alcove.”

  “Let’s go through together.” Holly grabbed Rosie’s hand and they jumped into the Qtrans.

  Haze blurred her vision and Holly felt an eerie distortion, a tingling vibration throughout her body. In a microsecond, the weird sensation ceased.

  The mist dissipated.

  She and Rosie stood in a different place. A room with a domed ceiling, bright lights and a single arched exit. The pliant floor vibrated under her feet.

  Exchanging relieved glances, the Moon sisters headed toward the exit and walked under the arch into a curved passage.

  Just beyond the arch, Baswin was standing by the wall.

  His expression brightened in a fond smile. He stepped forward to clasp Holly’s hand and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek. His voice vibrant with desire, he murmured, “We’ll have four days together on the flight.”

  THE STORY OF THE TALLIS brothers continues in Karrik, Book 6 of Taxyon Space. If you would like to have advanced notice for when this book will be published, please subscribe to my newsletter HERE. You will receive exclusive free stories, and learn about my books, new releases, sneak previews and special offers.

  Message from Aurora Springer

  THANK YOU FOR READING Baswin. If you enjoyed this book, please tell your friends and consider leaving a short review your favorite retailer or Goodreads. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated. Also, I love to hear what my readers liked about my stories.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  AURORA SPRINGER LIVES in Atlanta with her husband, one dog and two cats. She is an avid reader and has been composing Science Fiction and Fantasy stories since childhood. Unfortunately, her everyday life bears little resemblance to the adventurous tales of her heroes and heroines.

  BOOKS BY AURORA SPRINGER

  Find the complete list of her stories HERE.

  (Click on the Title for more information)

  SERIES

  Taxyon Space

  Daredevil scientist and abused alien merman forge perilous alliance.

  Europa, Book 1

  Rishalt, Book 2

  Jupiter, Book 3

  Alarik, Book 4

  Baswin, Book 5

  Lonely Hearts on Mars, short story

  GRAND MASTER’S TRILOGY

  Super psychics in space: One young woman challenges the super psychics ruling the galaxy, and finds an impossible love

  Grand Master’s Cat, Short Prequel

  Grand Master’s Pawn, Book 1

  Grand Master’s Game, Book 2

  Grand Master’s Mate, Book 3

  Cosmic Rift, Book 4

  Cosmic Wars, Book 5

  Cosmic Lock, Book 6

  Grand Master’s Trilogy, Boxset of Books 1-3

  Cosmic Trilogy, Boxset of Books 4-6

  SECRET SUPERS

  Teen superhero, Starrella, and her flying horse combat vicious killers in Atalanta, a sunnier, southern Gotham City.

  Super Starrella, Book 1

  Starrella Falls, Book 2

  Gargoyle Hunt, Book 3

  Secret Supers, Boxset of Books 1-3

  Starrella and the Lost Girl, Short story

  ATRAPAKO ON EDEN

  Feisty scientist solves puzzle of scaly aliens on the remote planet of Eden.

  The Lady is Blue, Book 1

  Dragons of Vkani, Book 2

  Trapped on Vkani, Book 3

  STANDALONE NOVELS

  Dame Audrey

  Medieval romance: Young widow seeks true love in fourteenth century England.

  A Tale of Two Colonies

  For refugees from an overcrowded Earth, dreams of a better life on an alien planet transform into a terrifying battle for survival.

  ANTHOLOGY

  Comet Tales: 4 short stories and a novella.

  Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance.

  NOVELLAS AND SHORT Stories

  Captured by the Hawk A space operetta, fun and fast-paced.

  Rosemary’s Quest Young adult fantasy: teenage witch meets demon king and white wizard.

  Gifts of Jangalore Short story set in the Grand Masters’ universe.

  SOCIAL MEDIA:

  Join Aurora on Facebook and Twitter or visit her Blog for background and excerpts of her stories.