Premonition: A Space Opera Adventure Series (The New Dawn Book 7)

by Valerie Mikles

  “No one brought me bunna,” Morrigan said.

  Amanda seemed steady on her feet, but she squinted her eyes so hard they were nearly shut. Hawk guided her to the nearest seat, but Amanda swatted angrily at Sky, and Danny put himself between the two women. He wished he knew how to punish Sky for hurting Amanda without putting her in a situation to do it again.

  “Galen’s here. He’s here. I can feel him. I see him,” Amanda said, pitching her face into Danny’s side, scraping the back of her scalp like she was trying to rip off the skin.

  “Half-breed flying,” Sky murmured, her eyelids fluttering. “Not now. Not now!”

  Danny worried about the way her nightmare echoed Amanda’s. Sky’s spirit was scary, and Danny didn’t want Amanda getting hurt by it.

  “Twenty minutes ago, she felt a hybrid. Before landing, it was two spirit-carriers,” Morrigan said.

  “Isn’t it possible she felt all of them?” Saskia asked, pushing to her feet. “They all exist on Terrana in close quarters. Why not here? There’s got to be a reason these people are so wary of spirits.”

  “What would Galen be doing on Aquia?” Tray asked.

  “I’m not saying it’s Galen. It could be another half-breed,” Saskia said, pouring two new mugs and bringing them for Amanda and Morrigan. “If this isn’t Cordova, then we should go. We can go back to Quin, regroup, and try again.”

  “We’re here,” Tray said. “We may as well see what they have to offer and who they know. There’s a Palace. There’s a party. They seem open.”

  “You’re going to dismiss her premonition?” Saskia asked.

  “I don’t get premonitions!” Sky cried. “Oh, you mean Amanda.”

  “She said she saw them. She didn’t say they hurt us. Maybe one of them is a healer,” Danny added, looking at Chase. Chase’s head was down, and Morrigan massaged his injured hand. He hadn’t been following the conversation at all.

  “Amanda, how do you feel about attending a party?” Danny asked, pulling her fingers from her tangled hair.

  “You can’t go to a party looking like that. You’re a mess,” she said, scratching at his beard.

  “I’ll clean up,” he promised. “Chase, Morrigan, there’s a national holiday and a party at a Palace tonight?”

  “If you take me to a Palace, I’m never leaving,” Morrigan grinned.

  Chase bumped her with his elbow. “Aristocrat.”

  Danny laughed. Chase used to call him that, too.

  Sky sat in the cockpit of the Bobsled, trying to figure out what she’d done in her exhausted state that broke the flight software so thoroughly. She still felt the need to flee, and Amanda’s warning about spirits, hybrids, and half-breeds only fueled the residual fear from her dream. It had been so disjointed that even if it were a premonition, there was no useful reality she could discern. If she could get out on her own for a few days, away from any people, she could get the rest she needed, and Spirit wouldn’t kill her because it’d have no one else to jump into. But she didn’t know if there were nomads in the area. And Hawk wanted to leave, too.

  Hawk balanced on the ladder, his finger touching the console, bringing light to buttons, but no power to the console. It was his hybrid nature that helped fuel his strength, but fresh from micro-g, even a short fall could break his bones. He didn’t have the quick-healing ability that Spirit afforded Sky.

  “We can skip the party,” Hawk said. “Take the ‘sled and go find Cordova.”

  “I don’t think this was broken by anything I did,” Sky said.

  “I didn’t break it,” Hawk said. “I don’t know why the Captain thinks I break things. I’ve never broken anything on the ship with my power.”

  “Do you feel whatever it is that Amanda’s feeling?” Sky asked.

  “No,” Hawk said, climbing in behind her, reclining on the saddle seat. “She felt it in Boone, too. She connected to Liza before we ever landed.”

  “Liza connected to Amanda, not the other way around. She got into all our heads,” Sky said. When the hybrid Liza had gone into Sky’s head, she talked to Spirit, not Sky. Spirit had nearly killed them both. But the other hybrids she’d encountered—Janiya, Hawk, Sikorsky, and even Liza’s brother—didn’t seem as dangerous. “Do you think that Hyproxin helped? I don’t know that I feel better.”

  “You seem better. You’re not glowing anymore. We can take some with us when we run,” Hawk said, tapping the lip of the cockpit impatiently. “I feel strange. I know I can use my power to make this fly, but I don’t know if I can sustain it long enough to find Cordova.”

  “We could swap out the grav-source with one of the ones in the hold,” Sky said.

  “I thought the Confluence stone had to be refined first,” Hawk said. “And I really don’t like the idea of opening that box.”

  “Maybe we could trade it for whatever treasures they have here,” Sky suggested.

  “Does that mean you want to stay for the party?” Hawk asked.

  “I love a party,” Sky smiled. Last time she got sleep deprived, she shot Hawk and ran off with the Bobsled. It wasn’t safe for them to run together. She needed him to stay with this crew. “We’re here. We may as well see if they can help.”

  12

  Saskia peered out the back window of the ship, her finger hot on the trigger of her stunner. This dome was not airtight, nor were the openings in it caused by structural damage. There were arches everywhere and hordes of people were kept back only by hurriedly placed rope barriers. They were surrounded. The sound reminded Saskia of the enormous crowd just before the October Massacres on Terrana—just before she’d been shot.

  “Is it clear?” Danny asked, trotting down the stairs, tucking a pulse rifle into his shoulder holster. She was glad he’d agreed on the need to carry weapons and she’d concealed as many as she could under her clothing. She wanted to keep the stunner at her hip as a warning, but Tray said that would violate their agreement with the Nolans.

  “We have an audience and we can expect a vocal response,” Saskia said. “Amanda, can you handle that?”

  “My head hurts,” she said, speaking in Terranan. Amanda had a knife tucked into her tall boots and a few more shivs sheathed on her arm, concealed by her long, maroon coat. She came up next to Saskia and glanced outside, furrowing her brow so that the Occ would magnify the crowd. “Silver and green. They have weapons. Possibly projectile.”

  Saskia looked out again, homing in on anyone wearing silver and green. It wasn’t until she saw two side-by-side that she realized they were uniforms. One had a whistle, the other a baton. Now that she recognized the attire, she counted twelve.

  “Silver and green uniforms on crowd control and security personnel,” Saskia repeated in Lanvarian, in case Chase and Morrigan hadn’t been translating. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “Fun, Saskia. It’s a party. Have fun,” Tray smiled, fixing his fancy gloves, eagerly anticipating the spotlight.

  “Sky, take point. I’ll bring up the rear. Everyone else, stay somewhere in between,” Danny said, pressing the button that opened the bay ramp. The doors creaked, then got stuck. They could hear the crowd cheering outside. Amanda covered her ears and sidled closer to Saskia.

  “Sky, you were supposed to fix the door,” Danny said.

  “What happened to the door?” Sky asked.

  “I happened,” Hawk said, touching the perimeter of the door. “I think it just got stuck. Try closing and opening it again.”

  “Personnel door?” Saskia asked.

  “We’re going for fanfare. Let’s give the ramp one more shot,” Tray said, taking a deep breath. The door opened on the second try, and Saskia was grateful that none of the spectators rushed the ship. She hoped having Sky in front would keep Tray protected, but she worried about Sky’s erratic behavior and tenuous recovery.

  Tray exchanged a look with Sky and they both strutted confidently into the sunlight. They were a picture of contrasts—her tall and pale, dressed in white, him shorter a
nd dark-skinned, wearing a navy-blue sleeveless suit with long, gold gloves. Tray smiled broadly, exuding confidence. Whomever he’d talked to in Nola, he trusted their intentions and wanted to impress them.

  Morrigan came next to Tray, her braids sculpted into ringlets, her shiny, violet dress and matching gloves reflecting the same upper-class upbringing that influenced Tray’s appearance.

  “If you see a hybrid, let me know,” Saskia whispered, giving Amanda a nudge. Amanda stumbled a little, but she started walking, her hands ghosting over the weapons at her wrist. Chase and Danny walked side-by-side, their masculine height and bulk giving off an intimidating vibe. The splint on Chase’s hand was covered by one of Morrigan’s expensive scarfs to hide the sign of weakness.

  The crowd cheered as each one of them emerged, then cheered again when they closed the bay doors behind them and locked the ship. Spectators held hastily made welcome signs (maybe protest signs; they weren’t in Trade), some with arrows pointing along the path they were to follow. There was no turning back now. Saskia would have appreciated the positive and joyous atmosphere had not the moments before the first shot in the Massacres felt exactly the same.

  Tray kept a slow, steady pace, waving cheerfully to the crowd, enjoying every moment in the spotlight. A few people threw flowers in their path, but he only stopped to pick up one. When he did, he glanced back at Saskia, making an offer with his eyes. She was surprised by the tease, and frustrated it came at a time when she couldn’t reciprocate.

  The city was run-down, but well loved, and covered with tacky signs advertising the evening events in the local dialect. The pictures showed carefree partiers in fancy venues that looked very much in Tray’s element. The buildings and balconies were short and squat, and multi-level, glass-walled hydroponics labs took the place of high-rises. A brick castle, adorned with gems, and painted in shades of silver and green marked the city center.

  “That one says ‘love.’ This reads like Rocanese,” Hawk said, skipping to keep pace with Sky.

  “Love? That bodes well,” Sky commented.

  “What else can you read, Hawk?” Danny asked.

  “Couple, group, dancing,” he read pointing three different signs. “Sky, there’s dancing!” he squealed excitedly, twirling so fast that his kilt flared up. The crowd applauded and Amanda covered her ears again, veering into Saskia’ shoulder.

  “I’m not dancing with you,” Saskia quipped. Amanda whimpered.

  Hawk’s enthusiasm helped Sky relax a little. This was what the life of a traveler was, after all. She came to a new town, hoped for a warm welcome, stole what she could, and tried to leave before she burned any bridges. Her track record for getting away unscathed had been rocky since she met Hawk. She had to worry about more than just herself these days.

  Sky twirled a flower in her hand, scanning the street signs. She remembered how to read Rocanese but could only pick out a few familiar words. The scents of the street filled her nostrils, making her want to dance with Hawk, and bask in the warmth of the crowd’s greeting. The place put her instantly at ease. It also put Spirit at ease, which worried her. She’d never felt this level of contentment on Aquia before, but she’d felt it almost everywhere on Terrana, even when she’d been tied up and held prisoner. Maybe Saskia was right, and this place was a hub for spirit-kind.

  “Anyone glowing?” Sky asked, brushing Hawk’s elbow.

  He glanced twice at her, then at the crowd. “Besides you? Yes, but I think most of it is electronic. They’re probably carrying some version of a Virp that takes a lot more energy. Their weapons don’t glow, though.”

  “Because they’re projectiles,” Sky observed. “No people glowing?”

  “They’re all so close together,” Hawk said, furrowing his brow. “And most of the time, you don’t glow either.”

  Sky brushed his nose with the flower, and he laughed and skipped away. Going to the edge of the crowd, she ran the flower over the outstretched hands of the excited citizens. Then she felt a jolt inside her and dropped the flower. Spirit screeched and dug its talons into Sky’s throat, making her skin feel raw. Someone grabbed at the flower’s petals, tearing them from the stem. Then three people dove for the ground, fighting over the tattered flower.

  A broad-shouldered, uniformed man intervened, corralling Sky back to the center of the street, while two other officers broke up the fight. Spirit didn’t like this man, and Sky thought she would suffocate under his scrutiny.

  “I am the Prince of Law. Are you hurt?” he asked, his Trade more heavily accented than Hawk’s. Sky felt a push on her brain. The man wasn’t touching her, but she felt his hands on her face.

  “Bébé?” Hawk whispered, coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  Sky inhaled and leaned into him. She swore she saw something in the sky, and the Prince of Law whipped around to see what she was staring at.

  “Stunned,” she said, answering the Prince’s first question. She clasped Hawk’s fingers.

  “You inspire jealousy. Do not give them reasons to fight,” the Prince warned.

  The noise from the crowd crescendoed, and the Prince of Law looked up at the sky again, his weapon drawn. Had he seen something, too?

  “Morrigan!” Danny called. Amanda was on her knees, her body pitched forward like she was going to be sick. Morrigan didn’t rush. She glided slowly, her aristocratic smile never faltering. Hawk tugged Sky’s hand, but the Prince rushed past them.

  “Attacked?” he asked, looking from Amanda to the crowd. He called his officers and within seconds, they were surrounded by a wall of uniformed guards. Sky reached for her weapon and she saw Saskia do the same. Amanda’s fingers slid into her sleeve, reaching for one of her shivs. Their security escort awaited the Prince’s next order.

  “What’s going on, Amanda?” Morrigan asked.

  “It smells funny,” Amanda said in Terranan, her breath hitching after every word.

  Morrigan touched her Feather to hear the translation, then sniffed the air. “Smells sweet. It’s probably confections for the party tonight. Is the smell bothering you or is it the noise?”

  “Could the walk be affecting her meds?” Danny asked. Regulating blood pressure was essential when transitioning to gravity, and it had only been a few hours.

  “Not likely. This is the dosing I’m most sure of,” Morrigan said, brushing Amanda’s hair away from her cheek.

  “I just got dizzy,” Amanda said, squeezing her eyes shut and pressing closer to Danny. “I’m okay.”

  “Do you want to sit for a moment?” Morrigan asked. “Concussion plus gravity plus a parade. It’s going to make you dizzy.”

  “We must move,” the Prince of Law insisted. “Do you require a brancard?”

  He made a motion with his hands, not knowing the Trade word.

  “Board, um, stretcher,” Hawk translated.

  Sky scanned the street. The unexpected stop had caused the crowd to become more vocal and some started chanting.

  “What are they saying?” Sky asked.

  “Health, I think. Healthy,” Hawk said.

  “They call for the Prince of Health,” the Prince of Law explained. “He can meet us at our destination. Shall I carry you?”

  “I can do it,” Danny said, shifting Amanda in his arms.

  “No. I’ll walk,” Amanda said. Danny helped her to her feet, and her gaze lifted to the sky, her eyes tracking something. Sky looked and so did the Prince, but neither of them saw what caught Amanda’s attention.

  “We have had trouble with the local wildlife. A bird of prey has entered the dome. If you see it, please tell me,” the Prince of Law explained. His use of Trade was formal and clunky. He made a motion with his hands of the bird swooping down, and he curled his fingers like claws. “Let us go inside.”

  13

  Danny was grinning ear-to-ear by the time they made it to the Palace. Despite Amanda’s weakened state, she seemed mentally stable, and he was excited to learn what this holiday wo
uld teach them about Nolan culture. The clothing the people wore seemed too warm for the weather, and he wasn’t sure if it was related to the holiday or the available material.

  The guest wing was enormous, with three adjoining bedroom suites, sitting areas, breakfast nooks, and panoramic views of the grass-covered grounds. A pair of sheep wandered the grounds, keeping the grass short. The main sitting room was a kaleidoscope of the ornately opulent and surprisingly tacky, with plastic beads strung next to garnet gems, pink jade, and fabric ivy.

  Amanda’s feet were dragging, and the Prince of Law directed them to a king-sized bed that seemed dwarfed by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

  “Excuse me. The bathtub calls,” Sky said, sighing dreamily. She’d stripped out of her jacket, shoes, and pants before she made it through the door. Danny blushed, but he was in too good of a mood to scold her.

  “You will be safe in here,” the Prince said, seeming immune to Sky’s immodesty. “I will get the doctor.”

  “No. Tell them I just got overwhelmed by the smells in the air. And the noise of the crowd. I have Morri. I’m fine,” Amanda said in Terranan, but the man had already excused himself.

  Amanda kept her arms looped around Danny’s neck, so he sat on the bed with her. Morrigan set her bag down and crawled in on the other side but got distracted when her hands touched the covers. She ran her fingers over the fabric, toeing off her shoes and stockings so she could get as much skin contact as possible.

  “Aristocrat,” Chase teased, pushing her closer to Amanda so he could sit on the bed, too.

  Hawk gravitated to the food table with Tray only two steps behind. Hawk poured the wine and Tray taste-tested the hors d’oeuvres, separating the non-meat items for Hawk.

  “Tray, bring us some water,” Danny said, taking off Amanda’s boots, then his own, so they could get more comfortable.

  “I have red wine and something green,” Tray replied, finding a glass and pouring. He tested the green liquid against his tongue, made a face letting Danny know it was sour, and decided to bring Danny the glass anyway. Amanda lifted her head enough to take a sip, and she seemed to like it. Her body relaxed against Danny’s.