Rayne's Return (Hearts of ICARUS Book 3)

by Laura Jo Phillips

  They thought they’d misread her, and they had. Their mistake was in concluding that she was the serious, mature woman they’d obviously hoped for. But she knew better. Beneath her shield, she was exactly what they didn’t want. She wondered if they would have ever revealed themselves to her at all if she hadn’t landed on that mesa the night before, and reluctantly concluded that they probably wouldn’t have. After four years of keeping the secret, she supposed she should feel grateful that they hadn’t just left her there.

  She picked up her napkin and dried her tears, determined to cry no more. She had some serious decisions to make, that much was clear. But they’d have to wait. She was too tired and emotionally wrung out to think any more.

  She picked up the sasuna and made herself finish the entire glass. Then she stood up and began gathering the dinner plates together. She felt a twinge of guilt for interrupting the Bearen-Hirus’ dinner, but it didn’t last long. They could go to the cafeteria and eat whenever they wanted to, so they certainly weren’t going to go hungry.

  After stacking everything neatly on the trays they’d been carried in on, she went to the chiller and refilled her glass from the large pitcher she found there, then carried it into the bathroom, mildly surprised by how steady she was on her feet. She had to move slowly, and she had no strength at all, but she felt healed. There was no imbalance, no shakiness, and just a little weakness compared to what she’d felt that morning.

  A little while later she left the bathroom wearing her own pajamas instead of Landor’s t-shirt. She tried not to miss having his scent wrapped around her, but every breath she took reminded her of its absence. She looked at the half empty glass of sasuna with a grimace and set it down on the bedside table, too full to drink even one more sip. Then she climbed into bed, turned off the light, and laid down, looking forward to the oblivion of sleep. After half an hour of tossing and turning, she threw the blankets back, got out of bed, and made her way slowly into the bathroom. She grabbed Landor’s t-shirt from the counter where she’d left it and carried it back to bed where she rolled it up in a ball, tucked it against her chest and wrapped her arms around it. A couple of minutes later she was sound asleep.

  Chapter 6

  362 Days in the Future

  “How far away from you am I now?” Rayne asked after the maintenance Doftle who brought her breakfast had left her cell, and the door had slid shut and locked itself behind him. He hadn’t said a word, or even looked directly at her, which was fine by her. She was following Wolef’s suggestion regarding her behavior, and it appeared to be working surprisingly well. It was easy enough to pretend to be mildly catatonic, and it really seemed to put the maintenance Doftles whose job it was to take care of the prisoners at ease. She used the toilet in the corner of her cell without prompting, and she fed herself when they placed food in front of her and a spoon in her hand. She never looked directly at them, she never spoke, and if they asked her to do something she obeyed immediately, but kept her movements slow and wooden.

  It felt strange to have control of her own body after so long. Strange to hold a spoon and feed herself from the bowl of tasteless, watery gruel intended to pass for a meal. She remembered it from her first weeks as a prisoner and it hadn’t gotten any better in the months since. But it was a lot better than a feeding tube.

  “I know that we’re on the same level because I heard them bring you down,” Wolef said. Besides, this is where they put all of the samples when they aren’t actively using them.”

  “Samples?”

  “That’s what they call us,” Wolef replied. “They collect samples of different species and study them. Minutely. For decades or centuries, however long the sample remains alive, which is something they’ve learned to extend and maintain a bit too well. The Facility is fairly new, not quite twenty years old, and different from their other space stations in that it’s dedicated to genetic sciences and experimentation. That’s why there aren’t many of us here.”

  “Genetics?” she asked in surprise. “Is that the purpose of all the experiments they performed on me?”

  “I don’t know for certain,” Wolef said. “Since Weeble is involved, and since that’s his particular interest, I think it’s safe to assume that at least some of them were, yes.”

  “Do you know why they brought you here?”

  “Weeble has decided to try injecting some of my DNA into his cloned embryos.”

  “They brought you here for that?” she asked. “Not that I’m complaining since I’m very glad you’re here, but why wouldn’t they just bring samples of your DNA?”

  “Weeble prefers to have his living samples at hand,” Wolef replied dryly. “He enjoys being thought of as eccentric.”

  “What does he hope to achieve by using your DNA?”

  “He wants to make his human clones bigger, stronger, more formidable, and most importantly, more difficult to kill. I’m surprised he didn’t think of it sooner, to be honest.”

  “Human clones?” Rayne asked in surprise. “Are the Doftle the ones who cloned the Nomen?”

  “I’ve heard that name,” Wolef replied. “I don’t know who or what they are, but I have heard the name Nomen. Who are they?”

  “The short answer is that they’re cloned humans. I could give you the long answer if you like.”

  “I’m having my scales polished and my claws sharpened at the moment so I might as well listen while I wait.”

  Rayne sent the dragon laughter which, she could tell, pleased him. “After the Xanti wiped out Garza, they kidnapped a tribe of humans who called themselves the Khun, and set them down on Garza along with a number of Nomen, human clones belonging to the Xanti. The Nomen were in charge of the Khun for centuries, treating them as slaves and forcing them to mine the liquid metal that the Xanti wanted. That metal is the reason they destroyed Garza to start with.

  “When the Xanti were destroyed, everything they owned, including their slaves, either died or ceased to function because of something the Xanti implanted in them. All of the Nomen on Garza dropped dead in the same instant, and for the next decade and a half or so, the Khun were free. Then, a couple of years ago, the Nomen returned. They still called themselves Nomen, and they were still clones, but the template, the source of cloned material, was different. The new Nomen enslaved all of the Khun that they could capture and reopened the mines. Tani helped the Khun free their people from the mines and destroy the Nomen. Of course the big question was, and maybe still is, since the Xanti are dead, who cloned the new Nomen?”

  “The Doftle, obviously,” Wolef said. “Do you know why the Doftle would want the same metal that the Xanti wanted?”

  “Yes, actually, I do,” she replied. “They use it to make Controllers, and androids that pass easily for humans.”

  “What is a Controller?”

  “It’s a device that, when implanted in a person’s brain, takes over their body without them even knowing it.” Rayne frowned. “I know that they used the Controllers on some of the Nomen, but I don’t know how many. It could have been all of them or just a few.”

  “To clarify, the Doftle can exercise absolute control over any creature they create by means of one of these Controllers. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, that’s correct,” Rayne replied. “What’s the matter, Wolef?”

  “Can you imagine the Doftle in complete control of a dragon such as myself, or even a creature containing dragon traits?”

  Rayne swallowed hard and put down her plastic spoon even though she hadn’t quite finished her breakfast yet. “Yes, unfortunately, I can,” she replied. “I really hope Weeble fails.”

  “If our plan succeeds, he will.”

  “Yes, the plan,” she said, picking the spoon up again and forcing herself to eat the last of the gruel. “I suppose it’s time I learned what that is, exactly.”

  “I was wondering when you’d ask.”

  “I wanted to wait until I was actually off the machines and in a cell,” she said. “I pref
er to take things one step at a time and, besides, I didn’t want to get my hopes up for no reason.”

  “That’s certainly an interesting way of looking at things,” Wolef said politely. “In short, I will send you back in time.”

  “You can do that?” she asked, shocked.

  “It wouldn’t be a very good plan if I couldn’t, would it?”

  “How far back can you send me?”

  “At one time, the answer to that question would have been limitless,” Wolef said wistfully. “Unfortunately, after centuries spent under the not so tender mercies of the Doftle, one fold will be the best I can manage. However, I’m afraid there’s a bit of a catch. Or two.”

  “Just two?” she asked. “What are they?”

  “The first one is that I must have physical contact with you for it to work, and since I am incapable of movement, it will be up to you to come to me.”

  “I can do that, but it’s going to take me a little time to prepare myself.”

  “Prepare how?”

  “My body is weak from not being used for so long. Just being taken off the machines and moved into this cell was so exhausting that I slept the rest of yesterday and last night.”

  “Yes, I noticed.”

  “It’s been just as long since I used my psychic ability. I’ll have to practice with it for a while.”

  “How long?”

  “I don’t know, a few days, at least. Is that too long?”

  “As long as a few days is no more than four, including today, no,” Wolef said.

  “Why the deadline?”

  “That, I’m afraid, is the second catch. As I mentioned, I can only fold time once, which means I can only send you back one year. That’s one year exactly, give or take a few minutes. After the fourth day from today, sending you back one year will put you right into the Doftles’ hands.”

  “Four days it is,” Rayne said. “I better start working with my psychic ability and walking around this cell, too. I have to build-up some stamina. Surprisingly, my muscles don’t feel anywhere near as atrophied as they should be.”

  “They’ve been injecting you with a drug that reduces muscular and skeletal deterioration and atrophy,” Wolef said. “I heard them talking about how well you responded to it.”

  “As much as I hate their experiments, I think I must be at least a little grateful for that one.”

  “You are far more generous than I could ever be, I daresay.”

  “Don’t misunderstand me, Wolef,” she said. “I’m not grateful to the little blue thugs. I’m grateful to the Creators, or the Fates, or the powers that be. Whatever force is responsible for that small stroke of luck.”

  “Ah, I understand,” Wolef said. “Thank you for explaining, Solin. For a moment there I feared for your reason.”

  “There’s no need for that,” Rayne replied lightly. “I lost it months ago.” She smiled at the deep rumbling laughter that filled her head.

  “I am relieved to know it’s not in danger,” he said. “Anyway, I do not believe in luck.”

  “No?”

  “No,” Wolef replied emphatically. “Luck is a random, nonsensical concept. I prefer to put my faith in the universe at large.”

  “I see,” Rayne said. “Just a moment, the Doftle is here for the bowl.”

  She sat unmoving, her eyes staring straight ahead and unfocused as the same Doftle entered the cell, collected the bowl and spoon, slid the tiny tray table three feet back to its place against the wall, then backed out just as he’d done earlier. When she was certain he was gone, she stood up, placed one hand against the wall, and began walking slowly around her tiny cell.

  “Why do you call me Solin?”

  “Because it means sunshine, and I find it incongruous that someone who radiates so much warmth and light is named rain,” he replied. “You’ve made me smile, and even laugh, Rayne Dracon. I’d nearly forgotten such things existed. Do you mind?”

  “No, Wolef, I don’t mind,” Rayne said, touched.

  “Now, back to the subject of your physical strength,” he said somewhat gruffly. I believe that, when the time comes, I can help you with that.”

  “Really?”

  “Of course, really,” Wolef said. “There’ll be a price to pay afterward, though.”

  “Tell me what it is and I’ll see if I can squeeze it into my budget.”

  “Put simply, I’ll give your body strength that it’s not actually prepared for,” Wolef said. “You’ll be able to push past your body’s true limits, but you’ll be very tired, weak, and sore for a few days afterward.”

  “So, it’s a loan with interest,” she said. “I can swing that. Is there anything else I should know?”

  “When you return to the past, you’ll have some temporary memory loss that will begin within seconds of your arrival,” Wolef said. “It shouldn’t last more than a few days at most, but you will not remember why you feel weak and tired at first. Are you willing to accept that?”

  “To be honest, Wolef, there’s very little I wouldn’t accept in exchange for a chance to escape from this place. However, I must point out that you said there were only two catches. This makes three.”

  “Memory loss is not a catch,” he said. “It’s a side effect.”

  “Interesting distinction,” Rayne said, sending him soft laughter. “How many of these cells are there? Do you know?”

  “Twenty,” Wolef replied. “As far as I can tell, nine are currently in use, including yours. This is only a guess, but from the sounds I’ve heard, I believe that there are two rows of cells that are connected at some point. If I’m right, whichever cell you’re in will be relatively close to mine.”

  “Close is good,” Rayne said as she leaned against a wall to rest. “Have you learned anything about that successful experiment they did on me?”

  “Not yet,” he replied. “I shall continue my efforts to discover that information. Unfortunately, if no one speaks about those things, then there is no way for me to overhear them.”

  “I know,” she said with a disappointed sigh. “I’d love to get my hands on one of those little hand terminals they all carry around.”

  “What is a hand terminal?” Wolef asked.

  “Do you know what a computer is?”

  “Yes,” he replied. “I’ve never used one, of course, but I do know what it is, and I understand how they work.”

  “Well, a hand terminal is a hand held computer. Every Doftle I’ve seen carries one, and I’ve seen them update themselves from a local mainframe lots of times. I bet the answers to at least some of our questions are on one of those things, if not all of them.”

  “You may need to make the acquisition of one of those hand terminals a priority.”

  “I know,” she said, swallowing her fear. The Doftle were short, but they were very strong, and very tough. Even at full strength she’d been no match for them. But Wolef was right. She needed to get her hands on one. Unfortunately, that meant she was going to have to come up with a way to get the better of at least one Doftle, and that wasn’t going to be easy.

  “You still haven’t told me what your psychic talent is, but if it’s something that can be viewed on a camera, you might wish to be careful,” Wolef said.

  “I always know when I’m being watched, and right now, I’m not,” Rayne said. “They haven’t watched me for months.”

  “No, but until now, you couldn’t move, either. Don’t get careless.”

  “I won’t, I promise,” Rayne said as she raised her full shield for the first time in a year. It was a little harder than it should have been, but she was able to do it and that’s what mattered. “Wolef, what can you tell me about the Doftle? Where they’re from, or why they’re doing the things they’re doing?”

  “Not much, I’m afraid,” Wolef said. “They don’t spend a lot of time talking about those things. Not now, anyway. They did for a while, when they were trying to resurrect the Xanti, but that was a few years back.”

 
“They tried to resurrect the Xanti?” she asked, stunned into dropping her shield.

  “Yes, for about ten years, I think it was,” Wolef said. “They failed, of course, since all the Xanti remains they had were neuter males. There’s something in their basic biology which prevents them from living without a queen.”

  “Thank the Creators,” she said feelingly. “Were the Doftle slaves of the Xanti?”

  “I’ve heard them claim that to be the case, but it’s not true.”

  “Where are they from?” she asked, raising her shield again.

  “Another galaxy, though I don’t know which one,” Wolef said. “The Doftle consider themselves the most intelligent species ever created in any galaxy, which proves that their egos are even bigger than their bulbous heads. They’re always experimenting with one thing or another, and they do not bother themselves with annoying obstacles like morality. Right and wrong mean nothing to them.”

  “I suspected as much, but I was concerned about making an unfair rush to judgment.”

  Wolef’s laughter cut short. “Your shield is slipping.”

  “Yes, I know,” Rayne replied, smiling to herself as she pulled it back into place. “You could have just told me that you knew.”

  “I wanted to see if you’d trust me just because I asked. I’m quite pleased that you didn’t. It’s not a good idea to trust too easily.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Rayne agreed. “How did you know?”

  “When we first began speaking to each other you had a tendency to project more than you intended. You’re much better now though. I nearly always get no more than you intend.”

  “Nearly always?” she asked, frowning.

  “I suggest you try holding it part way,” Wolef said as though he hadn’t heard her. “You’ve done that before, haven’t you?”