“Fine. We’ll bring them.” Jules ended the call.
“What are you doing? The owners will not allow this,” Barod said gruffly.
“I don’t care what they say. My friends are in danger. The entire place could detonate. Do you know how powerful that craft is?” Jules paced the compact room, sighing in frustration.
“You’ll let them escape?” Jaessa asked. “What about our mission to my home?”
Jules forced a grin. “No, Jaessa. They won’t escape. I have them right where I want them.” She slowly let the powers past her shield, and felt the glow of strength emanating through her body.
____________
“Hugo, what are you doing here?” I didn’t yell. That was a start.
“I’m sorry. You’re always leaving me behind. I had to come with you to Ebos,” Hugo said. “Like a Gatekeeper.”
Mary nudged him toward the kitchen, and we sat across from our son. I decided coffee was needed for this conversation, and began to brew some while we interrogated our kid. “You have school. Karo must be freaking out.”
“I left a note,” Hugo whispered.
“A note. At least you did that. Hugo, what were you thinking?” I could tell Mary was withholding how upset she was as well. We made a good team.
“Jules is always off on adventures, and she’s saving people. She helped Dad a few months ago, and found Magnus and—”
“You’re not your sister.” I passed Mary a steaming cup. “And this mission isn’t for children.”
Hugo frowned and slapped a palm to the table, shaking my coffee. “Jules was doing things when she was barely out of diapers. Why can’t I come with you?”
“We’re turning around,” Mary said.
This agitated him more. “I’m working hard in school. Mom, I’m almost fourteen. Give me a chance. I’m going to be a Gatekeeper like you guys, and this can teach me things. Bring me to Ebos and show me an adventure. I’m sure my instructors will understand if you explain it to them. Please don’t make me return to the Academy yet.” He was determined, I had to give him that. Hugo stared at us, and I glanced at Mary while sipping my coffee.
I was already in deep trouble with her, so I wasn’t going to make this call. It was Hugo’s mother’s decision.
Hugo slumped in his seat. “Silence. That’s the worst.”
“Bringing him home would delay us a few more days, and we’re already pressed for time.” Mary drummed her fingers. “But we might encounter danger, and I really don’t want to risk Hugo’s safety.”
“We could use the Takmas portal and send him home,” I suggested. Hugo was looking to me for support. He could sense she was on the fence, and I spoke up. “You know, Hugo was in peril when we took him on a trek with Light.”
“See. I can do things too. My grades are at the top of my class. I never get a break.” The words flew out of his mouth with excitement.
“I don’t know,” Mary mumbled.
“I’ll do anything. Name it. Please don’t bring me back to the Academy.” Hugo’s eyes were wide, begging us to accommodate his request.
“What do you think?” my wife asked me.
It felt important, like I might see a vision about it, but nothing came. “Hugo, give us a minute.” He ran from the room, and the door closed.
“This is a bad idea.” Mary rested her head on my shoulder. “I can’t believe he’s a stowaway.”
“Hugo’s been so patient, watching his sister climb the ranks, living in her shadow. Maybe it is time to let him spread his wings a bit. It’s just us, and we’re not expecting any trouble. What better chance to show him what we do?” I asked. “And if there are any issues, Hugo’s gone on our first stop. It’s a lot better than delaying the trip by returning to Haven in the Cyclone.”
Mary chewed her lip like she did when faced with a difficult decision. “Fine. What am I going to do with you two? One of you lied to me, and the other skipped school and snuck onto a vessel.”
“If it’s any consolation, I regret keeping that information from you.” I smiled, and she leaned in to kiss me.
“I can come?” Hugo’s voice carried through the sealed door.
“Yes, son.” Mary let out a laugh as Hugo barreled into the kitchen, forcing a big hug on his mother.
“You won’t regret this. I can help you guys on this mission. Wait until my friends hear about this. I’ll be the coolest kid at the Academy,” he said, walking down the hall.
“That’s why he’s doing this? Notoriety?” I asked.
“Sounds like a thirteen-year-old trying to find his place in this universe… and family.” Mary’s hands sat on her hips. “Let’s go to the bridge and double-check the details on the first stop. Let’s see if there’s anything I missed, especially now that we have Hugo with us.”
“Perfect. You can fill me in on the details about the Takmus,” I said.
“It’s Takmas, and I’ve already sent you the details.”
I followed her to the front of the ship, and saw Hugo in the pilot’s seat. “Son, this is off limits. You are not to be up here unsupervised ever. Do you understand?” My voice was louder than I’d intended, but I needed him to comprehend the severity of my words.
“Dad, I was—”
“No, Hugo. Listen to your father. You can be with us on the bridge, but never alone. One error and we might go way off trajectory. And you don’t know these Cyclones.” Mary took his vacated seat and confirmed he hadn’t played with any settings.
“We’ve been shown the Cyclones,” Hugo said.
“There’s a big difference between watching a video and real life.” Mary didn’t look back, but I saw the pain in Hugo’s eyes. Was he really this disappointed? I’d been so distracted with everything these past couple of years that I hadn’t given him enough of my attention.
With Slate’s affliction, then chasing after Regnig, ending with Ovalax, I’d been overwhelmed. Suddenly, I was grateful for Hugo sneaking on board, but I wouldn’t divulge that to either of them. I couldn’t condone his behavior so soon. It would encourage him to take bigger risks, and he was too young to be thrown into danger.
“What’s the mission?” Hugo asked. “We’re heading to Ebos, but is that it?”
“I’m afraid so, Hugo. Nothing but a boring drop-in. Observe, record, report. Right?” I hoped that by downplaying it, we could temper his expectations of adventure.
“Don’t forget about the Takmas,” Mary reminded me.
“Sure. Them first.”
Hugo stood between us, scanning the dash screen. “What are the Takmas?”
“Who are they, you mean. The Takmas are a new partner of the Alliance.”
“Why haven’t I heard of them?” Hugo asked.
“Because it wasn’t announced. They have a fascinating history, and we’re lucky to add them to our numbers. We’re hoping that we can recruit five hundred soldiers to train with our Institute. They might actually teach Magnus a thing or two.” Mary brought up an image of their planet.
“Magnus knows everything,” Hugo said with admiration.
“Of course he does, but only what he’s seen. The Takmas have a different ideology on warfare, and despite how that seems, they’ve been more peaceful than some of our other partners.”
The screen changed to show an image of a Takmas. The creature was seven feet tall, with giant eyes on either side of his slotted nose. His forehead was long and sloped, his scalp bald. It wore dark military garb, similar to something from twentieth century Europe: straight lines and squared shoulders.
“They don’t appear very friendly,” Hugo suggested.
“Not everything has to look a certain way. You’ll do well to remember that every alien race is different, but many of our Alliance partners are honest, hard-working, and loyal people. The Takmas are no different,” I told him.
“Trust me, I get it. I go to the Academy, remember?” Hugo crossed his arms. “Why are we visiting them?”
“Mom has something for them
. A trade.” I grinned at Mary.
Mary must have sensed that Hugo wasn’t going to let it go, and she spilled the beans. “I have a thousand Inlorian bars in the rear of this ship.”
Hugo’s jaw dropped. “A thousand? That’s enough to buy a planet!”
“Not quite, kid, but close.” It was a hefty amount, but the other partners agreed it would be worth it to obtain the Takmas’ secret technology. It was so secret, they didn’t even divulge the details to me. Actually, I think I had, but I wasn’t paying close attention. Originally, Sarlun was supposed to make the delivery; then Suma made her announcement about marrying Elex, and that went out the door. Rylan, the Takmas home planet, was relatively close to our path, meaning we didn’t have to veer far to make the side trip.
Hugo asked the question I wasn’t willing to: “What are we getting in return?”
Mary peered at Hugo. “The Takmas have perfected a system for recording and retrieving samples from any planetary clusters. We’re thinking of utilizing it to supplement the feet on the ground.”
“Wait. You want to replace the Gatekeepers with drones?”
It was a good assessment. “Not replace. With the Crystal Map being so broad, we still don’t have enough Gatekeepers to investigate all of the worlds. It’ll take a hundred years for us to search and scour each portal planet. This will save us a lot of hard work. Lots of it.”
“Does this mean we won’t need good recruits?” Hugo appeared crestfallen.
“No, son. This means you’ll prioritize the promising planets. Believe me, that’s far better than going to an ice world, or one with nothing but hot sand and twenty-foot-long arachnids.” I cringed as I remembered reading about that encounter.
“Cool. This Takmas drone tech will save us time, and let me visit the worlds with aliens and stuff.”
“Something like that,” Mary said. If we discovered signs of intelligent life, we weren’t going to send our rookie Gatekeepers in to meet them, but Hugo didn’t need to hear that.
“When do we reach Rylan?” Hugo asked.
“Ten days.”
“Now what?” he sighed.
“You wanted to come for an adventure. Then strap in… and wait.” I laughed at his disappointed expression.
Seven
“You can’t go face them,” Barod said. She eyed Jules suspiciously, especially since she was nearly glowing with power. Jules turned the ambiance down, almost forgetting how. The year without her gifts was a struggle, but they’d returned with a vengeance, including things she’d blocked from her memory. But at this moment, she was fully in control, ready to deal with this Peters character and his band of merry aliens.
“Why not?” Jules exited the room, and Jaessa started to follow. “I think you’d better stay put. I’ll return for you.”
“No.” Jaessa continued to follow her like a stray puppy.
“It’s dangerous.”
“I’d bet you can handle things,” the girl said.
Jules didn’t have time to argue. Her allies were in need. “Don’t do anything stupid, and stay close.”
Jules extended the invisible protective shield around Jaessa without her even noticing.
The Motrill guard trailed them, along with Barod herself, each carrying heavy weapons. Jules was unarmed. To the marauders, she would appear as a uniformed young woman. She wanted to be unassuming.
“Let’s gather the gems,” Jules said.
The alarms were constantly blaring, and most of Udoon’s patrons had been ushered into safe sections. Many remained inside the establishments, with orders to stay put. Jules glanced at a bar packed with customers. Drinks and food were flowing freely, and she doubted very much that they minded one bit.
Everything grew quieter as the elevator opened onto a lower level. The halls were darker, without the red flashing lights. The alarms could still be heard, but it was almost as if they were underwater, muffling the noise.
Jaessa grabbed Jules’ arm as they rounded a corner, coming face to face with five of the station’s guards. Barod moved past them, and whispered orders to the nearest one. They parted ways, making a path to a door.
Jules went to it and knocked. It opened, and she peered inside, seeing a bone-thin man and his equally frail partner. They were from a distant planet Jules hadn’t heard of before.
“I need the gemstones,” she told them.
“These are our property. We’ve worked our entire lives to procure this collection. It was going to be the highest auction in Udoon’s history,” the woman said. Clearly, she had the voice modification too.
“I don’t care.” Jules stuck her hand out.
Barod shouldered past her. “We’re sorry about this, but we have to prevent our station from being obliterated. Give her the gems.”
“We mustn’t.” The man had thick scales on his face, and a forked tongue protruded from green lips. “There has to be another solution.”
“I’ll bring them back,” Jules said. She realized how brutish she was being. Instead of talking to them, she was intimidating them, demanding something that wasn’t hers. “I’ll stop the robbery and save my friends. Then you can do whatever you like with the gems.”
The pair turned and huddled across the room, talking in hushed tones. Eventually, they gave in. “Okay. You can have the collection. But be careful. Some of it is… volatile.”
Volatile gemstones? “Sure.”
They went to another room and rolled a crate out. It was a heavy-looking trunk, with a digital locking device. “Can you show me?” Jules walked up to it, not wanting to be conned by these collectors.
The man used a code, and the lights flashed blue before the lid lifted. Jules gawked at the items. They weren’t messing around. The stones were so immaculate, rare and mesmerizing. One of them was pink, and it kept changing colors. She reached for it, and the woman slapped at her hand.
“Please do not touch the goods,” she said sharply.
The items were on sliding trays, and Jules separated the top layer. Inside was a stone she instantly recognized. It was a cross-section of a portal.
She indicated the shard. “What is that?”
“That remains a mystery. It was one of the first pieces we collected. I hesitate to part with it,” the man said.
Jules closed her eyes and felt the draw to it. It was green. “Did it used to be blue?” she asked.
“Yes. How did you know?” The woman was clearly astounded.
“Call it a hunch.” Jules had fixed the portal link years ago, changing it from blue to green. She wondered where it came from. The gem was roughly shaped, pointed on both ends, and not nearly as refined as the others. But to her, it was the rarest of them all.
They closed the crate. “You promise to return them?”
“I promise.” Jules didn’t wait for them to say another word. She used her powers to lift the case in the air, and started walking, the gems floating behind her.
She heard their gasps of surprise, but didn’t check to measure their reaction. She’d seen it enough over her life. “Jaessa, are you joining me?” Jules asked.
The girl hurried after her. “Sorry. How do you do that?”
“I’m a Deity,” she whispered.
The hotel spanned twelve floors above them, and Jules was glad the place was on lockdown. She didn’t want the attention on her. The crate floated, dragging on an invisible tether the entire distance, and Jules spotted the hotel lobby ahead. Her gaze lingered on a dead guard on the floor, and she clenched her jaw. The body meant everything had changed.
These guys meant business. They’d killed once, telling her they’d do it again without a second thought. The station security guard was a young Molariun man, probably Jules’ age. Peters would pay for that mistake.
“I’m here!” she called to the empty lobby. There were no hotel staff visible, and the moment she said something, two humans stepped from either side of the entrance, holding Keppe miniguns. The men were gigantic, their muscles bulging
at the weight.
“Leave it there,” a gruff voice demanded.
“I don’t think so,” Jules replied.
The one with a shaved head sneered, walking closer. “Listen, little girl. You brought the gems, and that’s great.”
He didn’t seem to realize it was her holding the crate in the air. She decided to give him a show. The trunk spun, gently landing on the white marble floor directly between them. “I want to see my people. Magnus, Natalia, and Rivo.” She glanced at the dead body, and the guy snickered.
“No dice.”
“You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. Humans breaking the law on Udoon. Tampering with important Alliance business. Dean Parker won’t be pleased,” Jules said.
“We don’t give a crap what Parker thinks. He’s old news. Washed up.”
Jules smirked at him. “Is that so?”
“Are you handing over the package?” the first guy asked.
“Why not?” Jules hurled it at the guy, crushing him into the wall. The other man’s weapon fired at her, the blasts absorbing into her invisible shield. Jaessa gasped and crouched, with her arms shielding her head as the pulses vanished.
“Stop!” someone yelled. She squinted past the bald guard to see Magnus and Natalia at gunpoint. Two humans and two Padlog stood with handheld weapons aimed at them. “Give us the gems, or they die.”
Jules peered at Jaessa and shoved a separate barrier around her. “I’ll be back,” she whispered. “Stay put.”
She’d been gifted powers for a reason, but had never explored them to their full potential. There were a few occasions where she’d let go, and one was after finding Magnus dead on board Horizon, another when the monsters had ambushed Hugo and her mother.
None of her friends would be harmed today.
Jules moved so fast, time slowed. Her own heartbeat threatened to stop. The guard near the crate of gems was unconscious, and she went for the bald one. His gun was aimed in her direction, and she took it from his grip while he was frozen. A bead of sweat slowly dripped down his brow as she bent the weapon in half.
The Colony (The Survivors Book Seventeen) Page 7
