Star-Born Mage

by David Estes

  Terry squirmed, but the leverage was against him. Plus, his opponent was thrice his size. He let his true color return.

  “Amazing,” Dacre breathed. “I’ve never seen a Chameleot change before.”

  “I’m glad I could be your first,” Terry said. “Though I’d rather have been the first to wring your neck.”

  “I—she told you, huh?”

  “That you cheated on her and then left her to play the fool? Yeah, she told me. Though now your Centaurian friend claims it was all a ruse.”

  Terry felt Dacre’s weight shift slightly.

  One of the Bronzian’s said, “What’s a Centaurian?”

  “He’s just speaking nonsense,” Dacre said. “Go tell your boss I caught the saboteur.”

  “I don’t take orders from you.”

  “Would you rather I told him how you let this Chameleot sneak past under your noses? Go. Now.”

  With much grumbling, Terry heard the Bronzians clomp off.

  Dacre said, “You’re making a big mistake.”

  “My only mistake was not offing you when I had the chance.”

  “When you were just behind me, you mean? If you had attacked, we’d be in the same position we are now. I’d already drawn a spell on my blade.”

  The movements of his thumb on the spellhilt hadn’t been a nervous habit, Terry realized. He’d been drawing. Terry felt like a fool. It was rare that someone got the drop on him. Rarer still that he found himself in a precarious position such as this. “What are you going to do to me?”

  “I don’t want to do anything,” Dacre said. “I would never hurt anyone close to Vee.”

  “Except Vee herself,” Terry spat.

  “I didn’t mean to—”

  “Enough with the excuses. I heard what you were saying to her when I snuck onto the rig. She didn’t believe a word of it and neither do I.”

  A deep sigh. Terry could play this game as well as anyone. Once he’d been captured by a vicious gang of Draconian bandits that had stolen a priceless vial of Morg blood. He’d been hired to get it back and kill as many of them as he could. They were smart. They’d managed to trap him. But then they’d gotten arrogant.

  Now they were all dead.

  That had been his last job, one he’d never been paid for since he’d decided to take the Morg blood for a souvenir and fund his early retirement.

  Now, all he needed was for Dacre to let his guard down for a single moment.

  Dacre said, “You don’t understand. I’m trying to…help.”

  “These days it seems like everyone is. Including your girlfriend.”

  Dacre flinched, which meant he’d pressed the right button. He filed the information away. “Miranda isn’t my girlfriend. She’s a conniving, mean-spirited creature who will do anything necessary to achieve her objective.”

  “Which is?”

  “Sabotaging the Alliance’s defenses to pave the way for the Centaurian mothership.”

  “The Demonstrous, right? Isn’t that why you are here, too? Weren’t you sent for the very same reason? Someone has to be lying.”

  “Not me. I’m trying to…” He trailed off.

  “Trying to what?” Terry pressed, sensing something important he’d left unsaid.

  “Like I said, I just want to help.”

  Damn, he’s good, Terry thought. He’d been trained to detect lies, but he couldn’t pick up on one now. Then again, it was more difficult when he couldn’t see the liar, his face pressed to the floor.

  Unless…he believes his own lies.

  The delusional always made the best liars.

  “So you’re a traitor,” Terry said.

  “It’s not like that.”

  “What are you going to use the Grem weapon for? And that fancy necklace you’re hiding under your shirt. Is that just for show? And the megaton of pure liquid aura in this rig’s tanks. Are you going to get yourself a buzz?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you the truth.”

  “Try me.”

  Terry listened to every word.

  Dacre Avvalon was right.

  He didn’t believe him.

  When he finished, the hyperdrive whirred to life. It was right there, close enough that he could touch it if only his hands weren’t pinned.

  It might as well have been in another star system altogether.

  I’m sorry, Vee. I failed you.

  Chapter 35

  Orbits

  Vee prayed to the godstars she’d never really believed in.

  She was fairly certain it wouldn’t make any difference.

  We’re about to be crushed into stardust, she thought, as the starship leapt forward, accelerating so quickly—too quickly—that the rear began to fishtail.

  At the control ropes, Frank howled, sounding more like a dog than a cat.

  Miranda said, “The cat is insane. I’m beginning to like him.”

  Nothing about that statement gave Vee comfort. She watched as the end of the canyon drew closer, the red cliffs stretching so high that her mind couldn’t fathom an angle in which they could lift off and climb fast enough to clear them.

  And yet still they remained pinned to the rocky terrain, a great shadow falling over them. Twenny seconds ta impact, the A.I. drawled.

  “Frank!” Vee cried.

  The cat wizard didn’t respond, instead yanking on one of the ropes, which sent the ship jumping forward even faster. The entire vessel was shaking violently now, juddering along over rocks and hard earth.

  Ten seconds, Layla said. Five, four, three, two—

  Vee didn’t close her eyes, because she knew hiding from the future wouldn’t stop it from coming.

  Her harness dug into her shoulders as she was thrown to the side, the viewscreen showing a blur of red rocks that whipped past, so close Vee could hear the scrape of them against the ship’s side.

  Rocks chipped away, raining down like a hailstorm, rattling against the roof.

  The view bounced back and forth several times and then settled once more as they shot down the narrow canyon they’d walked along earlier that day—or was it the prior day? Time on this planet had a way of playing tricks on a person.

  The canyon was barely wide enough for them to fit, and despite Frank’s efforts, the ship continued to crash from side to side.

  Just ahead the canyon narrowed further, like the head of an arrow, where it would eventually reach the dead end.

  We’re not going to make it, Vee thought, but couldn’t give voice to the fear, the speed of their acceleration clamping her mouth shut and grinding her teeth together. The wall of rock seemed to race toward them with uncanny speed. She felt the ship’s nose begin to quiver, then lift. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… It was going to be damn close. She was tempted to force her mouth open and command Frank to stop, but she knew it was too late to hit the brakes—their forward momentum would carry them into the rock wall.

  The ship eased from the ground, its descent slow and laborious. The cliff face seemed to rise with it, as if trying to block their escape. There was no doubt now:

  They would crash.

  Vee braced for impact, the wall looming closer, enshrouding them in its shadow. Frank, who had been frantically working the control ropes the entire time, seemed to realize the same thing she had, and finally dove away from the control platform with a yowl.

  We are lost, Vee thought, her last thought before they smashed into the column of bare rock—

  —and passed right through it, as if it was nothing but a cloud of smoke, the red and brown striations whipping past them.

  Another illusion, Vee realized. The Grems last-ditch effort to keep them grounded. The ship, which was on a manual setting, had no pilot. Still encased in the illusion, it maintained altitude for a long second, and then dropped rapidly, bouncing off the ground and rocketing forward once more. The control ropes swung, and the ship ratcheted from side to side, shuddering as it bounced off the canyon’s side walls, which were very much
real.

  “Frank!” Vee yelled, though it was unnecessary. The feline pilot had realized he’d been fooled and bounded back onto the podium, grabbing the ropes and fighting with them until he managed to regain control. This time, the rocky expanse before them was open.

  Still Frank increased their speed, until the world was a blur of rocks and rough terrain and then…

  Vee’s stomach leapt into her chest and she saw sky tinted with crimson rays of godstarlight accented by the bright edges of long, thin clouds.

  Beside her, Miranda said, “I’m really beginning to like the cat.”

  Vee had to admit, she was too.

  ~~~

  Urkusk was a massive planet and the trip out from its atmosphere took the better part of an hour, made longer by the fact that the ship’s A.I. led a rousing round of One hundred bottles of aura on the wall, which left Vee wishing they’d crashed into the canyon wall back when they’d had the chance.

  Thankfully, the familiar void of space eventually wrapped its empty arms around them. Vee unstrapped her harness and stood up. “Where…” she said, searching the viewscreens for any signs of their quarry. She saw nothing but stars and the fiery red godstar.

  Miranda said, “They’re probably already in hyperspace. All is lost.”

  “Then it’s over.”

  “Wait,” Frank said. “Layla, can you track based on fuel signature?”

  Detectin’…num’rous fuel signatures detected. This is a gen-u-wine system highway.

  “Any more recent than the others?” Vee asked.

  Yes’m. Jes’ one. It’s headed thataway, in orbit ’round Urkusk.

  “They’re still in the system,” Vee said. “Terry did it. Frank, plot a course that mirrors theirs. If they haven’t made the jump yet, there’s still time to catch them.”

  ~~~

  While they orbited Urkusk, Vee went to check on Minnow. Only she ran into Magic McGee first. Literally. She’d been lost in her thoughts and he’d been staring at his feet.

  “Where have you been?” she snapped angrily.

  The man’s eyes found hers for the barest of moments and then wandered away. Vee felt instantly bad. This man had lost his moonrocks and she’d dragged him away from his home, a place where he’d had a strange, but familiar life. For what purpose? To satisfy her own curiosity? Because she’d never really gotten over her mother’s death and this man had some sort of tie to her? “I’m sorry,” she said.

  The man looked at her once more, frowning slightly. His words came out rough and halting, as if they needed to be pried from the back of his throat one at a time. “You… don’t … have… to… be… sorry. Ever.”

  “I’ll take you back to the Arch after this is over. I promise.”

  The man nodded, a small smile settling on his lips. He extended a hand, and at first Vee thought he was going to touch her face, but then he twisted his wrist rapidly and an object appeared, reflecting the overhead lights. A medal.

  Vee’s breath caught.

  It was the medal she’d watched her mother give this man, the one she thought he’d destroyed with magic. “Can I…touch it?” she asked.

  “Yours,” Magic said, pushing it toward her like an offering.

  Vee took it, feeling the cool metal on her fingers. For Bravery, it said simply. There was an image of a mage with her hands raised above her head, rays of godstarlight shining down upon her. Vee’s vision blurred, but she blinked to clear it. “I can’t accept this,” she said. “She gave it to you.”

  She handed it back. Magic frowned but took it, twisting his wrist like before and making the medal vanish once more. “You are…something,” he said. His frown deepened, and he tapped his knuckles on his forehead. “Not right. I mean…” He trailed away, seeming to struggle with something he wanted to say.

  “Take your time,” Vee said. In truth, she wanted him to speak faster, to tell her about her mother, how he knew her, why she’d given him the medal. She tried to be patient.

  “Your mother,” he said. “Harmony. Yes, Harmony.” There was a softening around his eyes, which closed. Seconds ticked by. Had he fallen asleep? Eyes still closed, he continued, more control in his voice now. “Harmony took a leave of absence. Twenty-three years ago.”

  “I know,” Vee said, feeling disappointed. This was nothing new. “She was pregnant with me. But she went right back into service after I was born.”

  “Yes,” Magic agreed, opening his eyes. “She saved my life.”

  Wait…what? “When?”

  “Long time ago. First Caspian War. I was pinned down under heavy Mech fire. Aura reserves dwindling. I hadn’t…learned yet. I took a bullet to the shoulder. Then to the leg. It was only a matter of time before I took one to the head. I was about to run out of aura, cast a final spell and take as many of those bastards with me as I could.” He paused, licking his lips. “And then she was there, my guardian angel.” His voice had changed completely now, the words coming out with a lucidity that wasn’t there before.

  It explained so much. “You left service after the war. PTSD, right?”

  “That’s what they call it. But this was different.”

  “Different how?”

  “I was…becoming.”

  “Becoming?”

  “Seeing, as if for the first time.”

  “Magic, I don’t understand.”

  “I know. Can’t see when you don’t have eyes.” The man was shuffling his feet now, his fingers roaming over each other. The brief moment of lucidity was fading fast.

  “Magic, please. What are you talking about?”

  His gaze snapped back to hers. “Your mother was the most powerful mage I ever knew. She taught me everything I know.” And then he was gone, his eyes lost and confused. As he walked away, Vee could hear him muttering ‘magic’ again and again and again.

  Vee stood there, shocked. As far as she knew, her mother was not a mage.

  ~~~

  “How are you feeling?” Vee asked. She was feeling troubled by her conversation with Magic and was hoping her best friend could take her mind off things.

  Minnow tried to sit up but was held tight by a burly med-bot with a dozen arms fitted with a variety of instruments that might’ve been used for torture as an alternative to practicing medicine.

  “What’s happening?” Minnow asked. “Did we lose them?”

  “Terry’s inside their ship, and he’s bought us some time.”

  Minnow gritted his teeth and nodded. “The bot says I’ll be walking in no time. Which means I’ll be ready to fight when the time comes.”

  “Minnow…” Vee said. “You need to rest.”

  “Screw rest. Rest is for old folks and the dead. I’ve never rested before and I’m not about to now.”

  Vee placed a hand on his broad shoulder. His leg was looking better and better as a microscopic nanobot worked to repair the wound, regrowing each layer of torn skin and sewing blood vessels back together. Still, the area glistened with a mixture of blood and whatever anti-infection ointment the med-bot had smeared across the wound.

  “Don’t say it,” Minnow said. “I don’t even hear the word ‘no.’ Never have. That word is meaningless to me.”

  “I hate myself sometimes,” Vee said.

  “What? What the Hole are you talking about?” His expression had gone from indignation to concern in an instant.

  “It’s true,” Vee said. “And it’s more than sometimes. It’s most of the time.”

  Minnow took a long, slow breath. Then, to Vee’s surprise, he nodded. “Because of the kid,” he said. “She’s the spitting image of you. Beautiful. Energetic.”

  “You knew? Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “Because it’s your story to tell, and if you haven’t told me yet, you must have a damn good reason.”

  Vee laughed without mirth. “Yeah, I’m a coward. That’s my reason.”

  “Vee, you are a lot of things, not all of them good, but you are no coward. We wouldn’t b
e here if you were.”

  “Really? Because last time I checked I was doing this for myself, dragging a bunch of my friends into this…this…whatever it is…steaming pile of grade-A cow dung.”

  “Liar. Maybe at first you were being selfish. But getting back in the Academy was off the table a long time ago. Yet here we are.”

  “Here we are.”

  “Which means you’re no coward. You could’ve walked away the moment you realized Miranda had lied to you, coercing you into signing a contract she couldn’t deliver on.”

  “So I’m just a fool then.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Hey!” Vee pretended to hit him. “I thought this was supposed to be a pep talk.”

  “I don’t do pep. Rockets and explosions, yes, but not pep.”

  “I prefer it that way. Too much pep gives me indigestion.” Vee sighed. “Do you think I’m a horrible person for leaving my daughter with my dad all these years? Not being there for her.”

  “It doesn’t matter what I think.”

  “It does to me.”

  “Horrible? Nah. Conflicted, imperfect, cracked a little, yes.”

  “Thanks,” Vee said.

  “Happy to help.”

  “So you think I should go back and tell her the truth?” The thought made a stone form in the pit of her stomach.

  “Yes.” The stone grew bigger. “Eventually. Not right this second. We need to see this through. Your baby-daddy is out there trying to destroy the galaxy after all.”

  “What if he’s not?”

  “Come again?”

  Vee glanced back at the door to the med-bay. It was open, but empty. Not even a shadow marred the entrance. Still, she lowered her voice. “Miranda has lied before.”

  “To get you to help her.”

  “Right. But what if she’s still lying?”

  About…”

  “Dacre’s motives. What if he’s not trying to hurt our galaxy at all? What if he’s trying to help?”

  “Vee…”

  “Hear me out. He said some things when I was stalling him. And then Miranda tried to blow up his ship—completely—with Terry on board.”

  “So what? If he’s a terrorist, that might be the only option. I’d feel horrible about Terry, but he would want us to take out the Jackals.”