by S. E. Weir
That answer infuriated her, causing the edge of her smile to turn harsh. Most of the students in front of her jerked in surprise or looked shocked. Alarms went off in her head as she felt her blood pressure rising in response to her anger. She closed her eyes briefly and calmed herself as the teacher sneered in response to her lack of an answer.
“Well, since Seraphina has no answers, perhaps someone else does.”
Barely, Phina remembered that she needed this teacher’s approval to pass her class. That didn't seem important at the moment. That passed as a blip of relevance. Only her natural mask and her training as a spy allowed her any shred of ability to hide her anger.
“Professor Emerson,” she began with feigned sweetness, “I'm afraid I need further context for your question before I answer.”
He frowned, his brown eyes looking like a beetle’s as he eyed her with indifference and disdain. “We have been discussing context. What further context do you need to know to answer whether the Gleeks chose to go to war over insults?”
Phina allowed a tiny smile. The student in front of her, a young man about her age or a little younger, frowned from his turned position as he watched her in concern. “Well, Professor, this is not a yes or no question. It is a very complex one requiring various factors to be considered. However, two very basic requirements must be met for the Gleeks to consider stepping on the path leading to war, and yes, they are insults of a kind.”
“Oh?” He leaned forward eagerly with a greedy expression on his face. “Enlighten me as to what those requirements would be.”
“The murder of one of their own, combined with intense disrespect to their people as a whole. Which was the case in the events being examined.” His surprised expression would have given his thoughts away even if she hadn't had a way to see his mind. He hadn’t expected her to know anything, believing her answer to be evasiveness, and had asked the question to trip her up.
She kept a tight lid on her emotions. “I believe you are imagining the Gleeks to have a vendetta like a criminal mob or the warriors of the religious crusades that occurred on Earth. That is not the case here.”
His face turned blank, but she had been monitoring his mind and knew that her words were accurate.
“In reality, the Gleeks are a mostly peaceful race, concerned more about knowledge and furthering their own goals than warring with other species. Think of them as a mix of Earth’s Tibetan monks and Japanese ninjas. They seek peace but have a deep sense of honor and justice. When someone acts against them in such a manner as I described, they will retaliate in kind.”
Professor Emerson’s face twitched in displeasure. She could feel it radiating from him.
“How is it you know this, Seraphina? Have you been poking in places you shouldn't?”
Her monitor on his mind told her he had heard rumors about her forays into reading textbooks before they were assigned. Ah, one of his good friends was a teacher she’d had issues with her first year. Phina merely smiled while keeping her expression as bland as possible. A chuckle from the young man in front of her drew both Phina’s and the professor’s attention.
“What is so amusing, William?” the professor demanded.
“You, Professor Emerson.” The young man grinned. “You don't seem to realize who she is.”
“I fail to see why one student is more important than another.”
Phina’s mouth twitched. If it hadn't been said with such disdain and condescension, the statement would have redeemed him somewhat. Sadly, she could see he only used the question as an excuse to try to put her down. Still, she turned to look at William, wondering what it was he seemed to know about her. Having strangers aware of her felt disconcerting.
The young man coughed—to cover a laugh from the sound of it. The professor’s beady eyes narrowed. Speaking quickly, William explained, “She’s one of the authors of the text we were assigned to read for class, History and Sociology of Gleek Culture.”
Their professor raised his bushy eyebrows. The other students murmured in the background while they checked their tablets to see if he was correct. Phina carefully smothered her surprise. After Link had dropped the bomb on the way to the Aurian planet that she would die faster the more she moved, Braeden had distracted her with documenting the history and culture of his people for the Empire between meditation sessions. Heavily edited documenting, of course. Some things, the general population of the Empire didn't need to know. A separate document had been prepared for Bethany Anne containing more information for her eyes only. They hadn't quite finished by the time the team had reached the planet, but someone must have completed it during her coma.
Professor Emerson gave William a scalding glance. “That document was written by the Gleek representative.”
“Yes,” William agreed. “Representative Braeden wrote it, but Seraphina Waters is listed as the co-author.”
If she hadn't been expecting it, she would have flinched at the force of the professor’s glare.
“I'm sorry you got roped into this with me.”
Will shrugged at the quiet words of the young woman walking down the corridor next to him as they followed the professor. She stood a few inches shorter than he did so he didn't have to bend down to hear. In contrast to his slacks and buttoned shirt, Phina wore a t-shirt and dark pants. Her face appeared impassive, with only the slight tightening of her jaw and regretful look in her eye showing any hint of emotion.
His mother had always told him that secrets bound a person up and weighed on their soul. If Will was any judge, Phina had many secrets weighing on her soul.
He grinned as he shook his head and whispered to her, “Don't be. I knew what I was doing and relished every second of it.”
Phina turned her head with a look of surprise that she quickly suppressed. “You planned that confrontation?”
Will pursed his lips before shaking his head. “Planning implies intention. No, I didn’t plan it, but I knew what I was walking into with my eyes wide open. When I saw you come into class the other day, I knew right away we would be good friends. So far looks like I was right.” He winked playfully.
She blinked in surprise before nodding, and that was all the conversation they had time for as they stopped behind a glowering Professor Emerson. He knocked on the dean’s office door after giving them a look of pure spite.
The door opened, although no one stood behind it. Will suspected Meredith. As the three of them filed in, Will took a gander at the office area, noting its fairly large size and the desk where the dean sat looking like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth as she watched them step forward.
After an assessing glance, in which he felt certain she saw more than Will wanted her to, the dean turned her cool stare on the professor. “What was so urgent that you interrupted your class to bring you three here, Walt?”
Though her tone sounded stiffly sweet, her words made it clear she had not been pleased with the professor’s decision. Will struggled not to grin. Perhaps he wouldn’t get in trouble after all, which would be a handy thing.
Professor Emerson put his hands behind his back before he began speaking in a pompous tone. “Dean Hauser, surely you know the nature of the students you have allowed into the Institute. This girl has already been in trouble before about a conflict with a teacher. She is a troublemaker. That this boy worked with her to make me look foolish should be a mark against him as well.”
The dean sat calmly at her desk, watching the man twist events to suit his agenda. Great. Did she believe this guy? Will almost spoke up, but a flicker in her eye made him hesitate and then decide to wait and see what happened.
When the professor finished, the dean raised an eyebrow delicately. “Yes? Anything else you have on your mind while you attempt to do my job for me?”
The professor drew himself up before his tone turned frosty. “I have no idea what you mean. I am merely attempting to convey a problem that needs to be resolved.”
Dean Hauser nodded in unders
tanding. Will got the sense she was struggling not to give him a verbal lashing. He hid his grin at the thought that the dean didn’t like the professor any more than Will did.
“Of course. I will handle it from here. You may return to your classroom.” Her tone dripped dismissal, as did her casual hand wave.
Professor Emerson’s face turned red as he sputtered, then nodded and turned toward the door after giving the two of them one last poisonous glare. Will felt himself relax in relief once the door had shut behind the other man.
The dean watched him leave and nodded in satisfaction before turning to the two of them with a more expressive gaze of expectation.
“So, what actually happened?” She glanced between the two of them before looking at Phina with raised eyebrows. Phina explained the confrontation in the classroom while Will watched the women with considering eyes. Phina seemed to know the dean far better than most students would. Even for someone who was back in class after being gone for a while.
He had heard rumors floating around about Phina before the information had been posted that she would join classes several days ago. Since then, the stories had stepped up.
Speculation had run rampant as to what she had been doing for the last year and a half, from secret missions to running away, a disagreement with Anna Elizabeth, breaking off her internship with Greyson Wells and leaving to become a dancer, to a whirlwind marriage that she had since come to her senses about and sent the bastard packing. Will didn’t know what the real story was, but he felt dead certain it wasn’t the last one. She was too levelheaded to marry on a whim. A secret mission seemed much more likely considering the secrets he had sensed earlier.
Will looked up and realized the dean had been looking at him speculatively. He tilted his head as he watched her in return. The dean gave Phina a pointed look. He felt a slight pressure on his mind and a sense of warmth. What the hell? He eyed the unfocused glaze in Phina’s eyes, wondering if that sensation had come from something she had done.
Her gaze slowly refocused, and she gave him a searching look before turning to the dean and nodding. “He’s okay.”
The dean’s face showed shock. Whatever Phina had just done was new to her, too. Interesting. Will mentally rubbed his hands together with glee.
Oh, yes. He and Phina would be great friends.
Chapter Eight
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Diplomatic Institute, Anna Elizabeth’s Office
Phina watched Anna Elizabeth’s face drop in shock as she realized that Phina had read William’s mind. She didn’t think it would have been that shocking, given that Phina had been feeling people’s intentions before she had her coma, but perhaps Anna Elizabeth had forgotten about that.
William’s eyes flicked between the two of them, a mixture of nervous excitement emanating from him. Phina relaxed in her chair, working to convey that things were normal. Nope, nothing to see here. Everything is fine.
Finally, Anna collected her thoughts and continued, filling Phina with relief. “So, to sum up, Walt believes that Phina is an attention seeker and a disruptive influence.” She assessed William with curious eyes and raised eyebrows. “William Wallace Turner Sawyer Jameson. He believes you are…”
William grinned, shrugging unapologetically about his behavior. “Likely the same, just with a different cause.”
Anna Elizabeth nodded, looking like she had bitten into something sour for a moment, before taking a deep breath and sighing. “And here I thought things had been exciting and stressful before. I had no idea.” She shook her head ruefully. “You would think my staff are prideful, egotistical, elitist agitators the way you seem to find them, Phina. I promise not all of them are bad apples.”
ADAM broke in from the speakers in the room, “Phina is a catalyst.”
Anna Elizabeth looked up with a surprised and considering expression. “ADAM? Could you explain what you mean?”
Phina heard Will whisper excitedly. “That’s ADAM? So cool!”
“A catalyst is someone or thing that precipitates change or causes a reaction by their presence without being affected themselves,” ADAM explained. “I have been analyzing her interactions, and I believe that Phina is a natural catalyst. Just by being present or interacting as normal, she will bring out conditions or qualities that may not have been apparent in people before.”
Will looked intrigued by that, while Anna Elizabeth appeared thoughtful. Phina felt uneasy and concerned. What exactly did that mean to be a catalyst beyond the definition? Should she be less active in things? More? Something to discuss with ADAM later.
Anna Elizabeth thanked ADAM before turning her attention to Phina. “Tell me.”
Phina nodded, knowing the dean was asking what she had sensed wrong about the teacher. “He purposely pushed me about what I knew. He had heard rumors about me and disbelieved them, thinking they were fictitious.” She glanced between the dean and her classmate. “I don't know what everyone is saying, but what I’ve heard is nuts.” Phina shook her head. “Who in their right mind believes that stuff?”
At the dean’s look of amusement and William’s grin, Phina shrugged and continued, “However, what concerns me is the reason why he wanted to show me up.”
Anna Elizabeth focused on her, her amusement gone. “What do you mean?”
Phina clarified, “He wanted to discredit the Gleeks and show them to be warmongering troublemaking delinquents.” When Anna Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, Phina shrugged. “His words.”
Anna sat back with a frown, her arms dropping from her desk to rest on the arms of her chair. “I see.”
As Anna Elizabeth contemplated, Phina eyed William, wondering what his thoughts were about this. Did he know she had read his mind to determine his trustworthiness or that it was why she had spoken in front of him so candidly? Or that her abilities were how she knew this information about the professor? William peered at her with a knowing assurance in his blue eyes.
Hmm. Maybe he didn't realize. She would have thought if he knew then he would be looking at her with wariness, perhaps anger or disgust.
When Anna Elizabeth leaned forward again, Phina jerked her attention to the dean. “All right. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will handle Walt. In the meantime, while I don't believe what either of you did warrants disciplinary action, I can't help taking advantage of the opportunity you both present.” She looked at them both searchingly before nodding. “Yes, I believe you will do very well.”
“With what, Dean Hauser?” William leaned forward and placed his arms on her desk briefly before she gave him a scathing look. He quickly removed them.
“With a diplomatic situation that needs resolving.” Anna Elizabeth waved a hand vaguely in the direction of the upper deck before continuing. Phina thought through the station schematics and realized that would be the direction of the receiving halls where many of the diplomatic issues were ironed out. “Greyson is in charge of resolving this matter. I wasn't sure if he would need assistance, but I think it would be beneficial for both of you to participate in the situation.”
Phina felt surprised, pleased, and concerned. She’d hoped Anna Elizabeth would still trust her, but she hadn't felt certain of it since she didn't trust herself. Thinking about Greyson, or Link, being in charge gave her cause for concern. If he didn't believe her, then perhaps he didn't trust her anymore. She didn't know how well she could work with him knowing that. She stuffed the sadness that thought caused down the internal well where she stuffed the rest of her emotions.
William nodded and gave the dean a grin. “Of course. Whatever I can do to help and learn.”
Anna Elizabeth eyed him thoughtfully. “Thank you, William. I will keep that in mind.”
“Just Will. William is my great uncle,” he quipped with a smile.
Anna Elizabeth returned the smile and nodded. “Of course. You will need to arrange a time to meet Greyson to get caught up on everything involved with the Qendrok situation. It should be soon, so don’t
wait.”
They both agreed, and Anna Elizabeth gave them a nod of dismissal. After filing out, the two students realized they only had a few minutes until class ended for the day. Phina pulled out her tablet to send a message to Link, letting him know they had been assigned to help him and asking where to meet him for a briefing.
As she tapped out her message, Will watched her fingers fly over her tablet with interest. “So, is it true that you’re a hacker?”
Phina glanced up in surprise before looking down at her task. Not knowing whether he approved or not, she kept silent, wondering if he would say more. Sure enough, he obliged her.
“I’m curious. It seemed both fitting and random if it was true.” He sounded sheepish yet intrigued. She found herself unwilling to shut him down as she had done to Jace two years ago. Look how that interaction had ended up, anyway. Better to get ahead of the curve.
“Perhaps once we know each other better, I will share what I can do and what I cannot.” She tempered her answer, wondering if Will would ever be someone she could confide in. She completed her task and opened up another app.
Phina felt a small sense of relief when he nodded. “Fair enough.” He grinned. “I know you and I will be great friends.”
Although warmed by his assertion, for some reason she felt compelled to ask, “Oh? How do you know?”
He watched her finish and grinned when she looked up, wondering why he hadn't continued. “Have you ever met someone or gone somewhere and had a sense of importance? That the place or person would become someone close or valuable or priceless? Just a sense of knowing?”
Phina frowned and thought about it before shaking her head. “I don't think so.”
Will nodded, seeming to expect her answer. “Well, that's how I know. Mom says that Gran was a psychic, and that's where I get it from. It's possible. This sense hasn't been wrong yet.”
