by S. E. Weir
She glanced at Todd, who gazed at her intently and gave her a small smile before helping her up.
He gently squeezed her hands before releasing them. “I’ll take care of arrangements for your aunt if you would like me to?”
Phina swallowed as she glanced at her aunt before nodding and giving him a watery smile. “Thank you. I would like to have a small funeral for her tonight before we need to leave in the morning.”
“Oh!” Phina turned to see Alina biting her lip as she glanced between Phina and Maxim, looking like she would cry again. “I thought we would have more time together before you left.”
Alina waved her hand in Maxim’s direction. He reached out and pulled her in for a hug, looking down at his new wife in concern. Todd handed Phina his jacket and briefly touched her shoulder before moving to lift her aunt’s body.
Phina gave Todd a brief smile in thanks before turning to Maxim and her best friend, raising a finger with a tiny smirk playing on her lips. “Neither of you are going with us.”
Alina and Maxim looked over with mixed emotions as she continued with a pleased smile. “At least not yet. I asked both of your bosses for time off for a honeymoon. I tried to get a week, thinking that would be the limit with everything happening, but they each generously gave you both three weeks since neither of you ever take your vacation time.” She gave them both wry and scolding looks of admonishment when their expressions turned sheepish.
“So, that’s Mal’s and Peter’s gifts for you and Alina. She said that counts even if the baby comes. She has backup to take care of the boutique until you come home. You two have the next three weeks to yourselves at a swanky resort Alina told me about a while ago. Your ride leaves in the morning.” She waved a hand in the direction of the docks.
Alina clutched Maxim tightly in excitement and shock. “What? Phina! You can’t be talking about the Majestic Sands Resort on H’lageh!”
Phina looked around for her tablet to confirm the details, but since her clothing was currently not serving its purpose—and was a lot more revealing than she’d realized since there were numerous gashes in the modified dress from the knives she had been fending off—she shrugged and nodded. She had the details memorized anyway.
“Of course. You told me you wanted to go. In excruciating detail,” she added as she crossed her arms to cover any visible private bits, then realized that was probably why Todd had left his jacket. She put it on and rolled up the sleeves as she listened to Alina.
“That was three years ago. I didn’t think you were paying attention.” Alina appeared stunned. “But, how? It takes forever to get in there!”
“I always listen to what you say, Leena.” Phina wanted to hug her, but she was still working on the sleeves. She settled for a smile. “Well, that’s an interesting story, but the short of it is that they were happy to find an opening for personal friends of the Empress, so the reservation is her gift to you through ADAM, who took care of that. You have the added sweetheart package that gives you various treats and luxuries, like a couples massage once a week, which is a gift from your bridesmaids. You have the upgraded dining and drinks package, which lets you dine in or order whatever you want from any of the restaurants there whenever you like, which is your gift from the groomsmen. And I took care of everything else, including the adventure package so you can explore both the island and under the water.” She shrugged and smiled at her stunned friends, who looked like they were in shock.
“Unless you would rather not go? I can always cancel it.” She grinned when they uttered a loud, “No!” in unison.
Alina and Maxim hugged her tightly before releasing her and giving her big smiles.
“Thank you, Phina. Thank you so much!”
Alina’s eyes were tearful again as she gave Phina another hug. Phina wrapped her arms around Alina and closed her eyes.
Her aunt was gone, but Alina had always been her family, and she was still here.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Etheric Empire, QBS Emissary
Zultav landed with a heavy jolt that caused him to again fall on his backside. He grimaced as he recalled the kick from the abomination that caused him to trip over the bodies behind him.
Yet, having watched the abomination during the attack, he had a difficult time understanding why she had been labeled such. She had a strange composition of Etheric energy facilitation, certainly, and a large capacity to access it to his inexpert eye, judging by the glow emanating from her head.
Yet, she had done nothing that the Qendrok’s strongest fighters couldn’t have done. She had just done it better and faster, he admitted with a wince as he rubbed a large bruise on his torso.
The others in the room who had faced them were also capable fighters, especially those bigger guys who hit like sledgehammers. He pulled his clothing away from a wound on his back that had been caused by a man’s fist, wincing in pain, though he covered it.
He pulled his thoughts from their wanderings. The female had fought hard to defend herself and those around her. She hadn’t followed up and slaughtered those who had escaped her, letting them go when she could have intercepted them.
She had even let him go to give Qartan a message. He recalled how startled he had been to hear a voice not his own in his mind. That did not fit the actions of one deserving the moniker “abomination.”
Yet, as Qartan was fond of pointing out, the assassins were not encouraged to foster independent thought.
He looked around the room where they had started the jump from perhaps an hour earlier. He and fifty-one of his fellow assassins had been ready, if not eager, to follow Qartan’s directive to kill the abomination. Their leader had somehow received information as to the location where she would be.
Forty-six bodies filled the room, only fifteen of them still alive from his quick perusal. His heart skipped a beat when he realized what that meant for the assassins. The losses were devastating. Yet, he found he could not blame the abomination—no, the target—for their losses. She had been defending herself.
Qartan entered the room with a scowl as he observed the bodies lying still and so few looking up in attention. “What in the goddess’ name happened? You are supposed to be the best!”
A quick scan showed Zultav that he was the least wounded of his brethren. He stood and straightened into the posture of obedience and apology.
“We did as asked and attacked the abomination, Dev Qartan.”
“Well?” Qartan’s eyes grew triumphant as he stepped forward, ignoring the bodies of Zultav’s fallen comrades. “Where is the body?”
Zultav remained stoic as he responded though inwardly his emotions roiled. “There is no body, Dev Qartan. We were unsuccessful. Or rather, they successfully withstood our attack.”
“The abomination still lives?” Qartan roared in anger and displeasure.
“Yes, Dev Qartan. I was the last to return after she defeated me. She gave me a message to pass on to you.” He tapped his head with two fingers, trying to convey the mental nature of the message. Or warning.
The remaining assassins stirred uneasily as they collected themselves into a semblance of attention.
Qartan scowled at the news and snarled at them. “What use is an elite group of assassins if you are defeated at every opposition?”
Zultav refrained from commenting that it was only against those in the Empire that they seemed to have trouble in being victorious. No other population had the same level of training and defenses.
At Zultav’s silence, Qartan impatiently gestured to him. “The message?”
Zultav stood in the posture of importance and communication, which was used only in the gravest circumstances. Qartan merely glowered, not using the posture of openness and reception. The lack was rude and counter to their culture. “‘Go. Tell Qartan we are coming to finish what he started, and not even his goddess will be able to save him.’”
Qartan’s face twitched between outrage and fear. He whirled toward the exit, callin
g out as he left, “We are returning to Xaldaq. Clean up the mess before we get there.” He flicked fingers at the bodies of Zultav’s fallen comrades.
The blatant disrespect and casual disregard of his brethren’s sacrifice incensed Zultav. He clenched his teeth lest unwise words escape him.
The few assassins who remained were struggling almost as much as he was. There were no leaders among the assassins since they were supposed to obey the religious leaders.
He closed his eyes and recalled his conversation with Jokin, realizing that Qartan was evil and evil could only lead if those who were good did nothing to stop it.
Zultav hung his head with a small shake. He didn’t know if he could be considered good. But he was becoming more convinced that Qartan was evil.
And evil must be stopped.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Funeral Hall
Todd watched Phina say one last goodbye to her aunt. It was a small group since Phina hadn’t wanted to advertise the funeral given everything that had happened.
Link, Braeden, Maxim, and Todd stood back. Phina and Alina had an arm around each other as they stood near Aunt Faith’s body. Aunt Faith had been cleaned up. They had cleaned up and changed clothes after they were able to leave and do so.
Todd had taken care of the arrangements for Phina, interfacing with those who ran the Funeral Hall and the researchers who had taken samples of Faith’s nanocytes, fluids, and tissue to study. Perhaps they could learn from what had happened so others could be helped at some point. He wasn’t sure what would be done, but perhaps Faith Rochelle would be happy that her body could further the study of nanocytes.
He stood quietly, listening to Phina and Alina talk about the good things they remembered about Faith.
“She was such a witch to you at times, Phina, and I’ll never forgive her for that, but she made the best baked goods I ever had. Her muffins were my favorite.”
Todd stirred as that brought to mind the information he had inquired about from ADAM. He stepped forward and cleared his throat. “That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about, Phina.”
The two women both turned, and though she didn’t use her mental speech, Phina’s expression clearly said, “Here and now?”
He nodded and gestured toward her aunt. “It has to do with why she behaved the way she had been.”
Phina released Alina to turn more completely and held her hand, eyes noticeably tightened. It appeared she was steeling herself for more bad news.
Todd shook his head and did a mental rewind to start at the right spot to explain. “When I spoke to your aunt, she seemed scattered, lost, and confused. She did not appear to be the same woman you had spoken of. I wondered if she was mentally ill and asked ADAM to check that. If it wasn’t physical, then perhaps it was something that could be diagnosed through her behavior.”
He straightened his posture and stood with his hands behind his back, trying to ignore how close Phina stood and focus on the task at hand.
“And there was something to find?” She appeared somewhat anxious but more closed down, afraid of more bad news. Todd wasn’t certain whether his news qualified or not.
He nodded and stood at parade rest as he often had when reporting to his superiors. “Yes. Meredith’s and ADAM’s memory extends back far longer than any previous computer, so they were able to access camera footage from years ago up to now. What they found was that Faith’s demeanor and focus changed in general, and specifically toward you, almost a month after your parents died. I don’t know if you recall that change?”
Todd was curious as to whether her memories would corroborate ADAM’s findings, but she shook her head. “I was lost in my own world for weeks afterward. I noticed a difference, but I wasn’t aware enough to add anything to what you are talking about.”
He inclined his head and continued. “He noticed a pattern. She would be more negative toward you and only you; her co-workers did not receive the same treatment for a time. Gradually she would grow more caring and less negative before a larger surge of negativity. This pattern continued for years afterward, each year getting worse, the surge taking place roughly around your birthday. This last year is the first that she didn’t have the same behavior, possibly due to you being in your coma.”
Phina frowned as Alina’s eyes widened. “She did mess up birthdays a lot. What are you saying? That she was mentally ill?”
Todd hesitated and lifted a shoulder. “I do not have definitive answers, but two possibilities fit these facts. ADAM ran the numbers for possible reasons. Two emerged at the top. One is more believable but doesn’t fit quite so well. The other potential reason sounds farfetched but fits the facts more completely.”
Phina took a deep breath and nodded, speaking quietly. “Please, tell me.” She glanced at her aunt’s body. “Her words and actions still pain me. If there is anything that would allow me to think of her more kindly, I would like to hear it.”
Her words gave him a pang as he realized how much grief her aunt had caused her. She must have downplayed it when they spoke before. Todd’s eyes darted to Faith, and he wondered if he would have taken the steps he had if he had realized how hard it had been. Possibly not. But if he hadn’t, they would not know this information now.
“The first and more believable reason is a disorder or a combination of a couple of them, such as borderline personality disorder and paranoid personality disorder. A lot of the symptoms she exhibited indicate that could be the case. However, the regularity with which her behavior grew worse led ADAM to a different conclusion, a farfetched one.” He hesitated, wondering if Phina would dismiss it out of hand.
“Which is?” Phina had drawn herself up, her shoulders and back completely straight.
Todd met her eyes, giving her a small nod of approval.
“Mind control.”
Etheric Empire, QBS Stark
Phina padded down the ship’s hallway heading for the bridge. She couldn’t sleep and kept thinking about everything that had happened over the last day.
Todd’s information had floored her. Both that he had noticed something in her aunt’s behavior and had asked ADAM to look into it, and that their conclusion was something so out there as mind control. That shouldn’t be possible.
Yet Phina herself could speak mentally and use her mind to do other things that would otherwise seem farfetched. Perhaps there was someone who could control minds as well.
She shook her head sadly at the realization that her aunt could have been a victim of such a thing. It didn’t make Phina feel much better about how her aunt had treated her, but it gave her a greater understanding as to why Aunt Faith had been so different after her parents had died.
Her thoughts turned to the conversation she’d had with Braeden after the funeral. He had taken her aside to say goodbye.
“Phina, I will be returning to my home planet before you return from this next mission.”
“I’ll miss you.” She had hugged him, squeezing him tightly. His long arms had wrapped around her and squeezed her in return.
“I will miss you too, Phina, but I can’t deny the urge to move on. We need more Gleeks focusing their attention on fulfilling our mission.”
“Will you ever tell me your people’s mission?”
Braeden had released her and looked down to give her a small smile. “Yes. You are a sister of the heart, so it is only fair.”
Phina had smiled and waited, but it wasn’t what she had expected to hear.
“We are searching for our females.”
Phina’s jaw dropped in surprise. “What? I thought there were only male Gleeks. Isn’t that why you have the Mother?”
He shook his head sadly. “That is how things are now. That is not how they always have been. Generations ago, we were all together and lived on a different planet. We were peaceful, not even practicing our fighting style yet, and kept to ourselves. One day the peace was broken when invaders came. They took a few of the males and all of the females they could fit
on their ships. We did not know who they were or why they came, aside from wanting to take our people. Perhaps that was all they wanted. When they left, they destroyed our planet. Around three hundred of us males survived, most having gone to the ships to try to take our females back. By the time the males had escaped and the planet destroyed, the invaders and the females were gone.”
Phina’s tears had slid down her cheeks as she shook her head. No wonder the Gleek males had seemed reserved and full of anger and sorrow over their losses. “I’m sorry. That’s so sad. You haven’t figured out where they were taken?”
“No.” Braeden squeezed her hands before releasing them to look at the screens on the wall of the Funeral Hall, showing a distant nebula and a gaseous planet that was both beautiful and deadly. “But we search the universe in the hopes that we may one day find them.”
“Thank you for sharing with me, Braeden.”
He smiled fondly, a strange but welcome expression on his hairless elongated face. “You are my sister of the heart.”
Phina realized how much he had given up to help her and the Empire over the last couple of years. He had assured her that he would see her again and that they could always speak telepathically when needed. Still, it wasn’t the same as having his reassuring presence with her.
I can help as much as that tall galumph.
She continued down the hall, glancing down at Sundancer, who padded next to her. “What’s a galumph?”
An ungainly antisocial creature that wanders our world. Much smaller, though.
“Ah. I suppose that’s descriptive enough of the Gleeks, though lacking in some respects.”
Of course. They are not as magnificent as a Previdian such as I.
Phina eyed her constant shadow. “I have a feeling no one is.”
