Astra: Synchronicity

by Lisa Eskra

  She'd stopped bemoaning her memory loss when they'd gone to Icelandia, but seeing Magnius refreshed that hole in her mind. She'd resigned herself to the fact that it might be better to have a fresh start, and that her past might've been a painful one. But she couldn't help feeling small without knowing who she'd been and what her ambitions were. Were her dreams an extension of Xander's or was she talented in her own right? Did she have any fears of trite things like cats or birthdays? What was her favorite color? That question alone frustrated her. Every hue seemed lovely in its own right. Why could she not choose?

  Without thinking about it, Amii's eyes drifted back toward Magnius. What was he doing here? She doubted a man who ran a fishing business would qualify among the elite to visit Xur. Nadine represented the obvious link, but their connection mystified her.

  He glanced in her direction, only to avert his eyes when they met hers. She closed her eyes and ran her hand through her hair. In a way Amii felt like he loathed her. At best, he tolerated her and only because he had to. Still, the weight of his stare gave her pause.

  She heard what she thought were voices from outside so she looked back out across the room. Only it had been her imagination. And Magnius, once again, gazed in her direction.

  This time she was the one who turned away. What did he want? She realized she wasn't exceptionally pretty. Blond hair and blue eyes were both recessive traits and therefore undesirable. She dropped her head into her arms and sighed. And before another thought could cross her mind, the chime of the door sounded.

  Magnius rose and answered it. From her vantage point she couldn't see anything. Then he stuck his thumb in Amii's direction and Nadine stepped inside. The second lady appeared bewildered to see the blond standing there, yet she headed over to Amii and embraced her.

  "What are you doing here?" Nadine asked.

  "Xander and I stowed away to get off of New England. We've been hiding aboard the ship for the past few days."

  Magnius approached the two women. "She fell into my room. And now I might as well have smuggled them on board in my luggage."

  Nadine raised her brows and clenched her forehead. "This could be worse. Okay…as far as I know, Bryan is the only person who knows where the two of them should be, and it was only Dr. Adams who had to go with them anyways. So Amii is in the clear. I'll tell people she's my assistant, and no one will care anyways. People are interested in the Xuranians right now, not human drama. I hate to do this, but Magnius, you're going to have to keep an eye on Xander. Make sure he keeps a low profile, and I'll try to keep my husband from bumping into him."

  "Why do I have to babysit the scientist? Is that why you wanted me to come? Because you knew this was going to happen?"

  "I didn't know this was going to happen, but it did, and we have to deal with this like adults. Make sure you take Amii with you when you go to eat. Xander will have to stay in the room. We can't afford any incident that could put him in jeopardy." She leaned over to Amii and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you when I see you. Take care."

  Once Nadine strode out the door, Amii headed back to the grating and helped Xander out of the ventilation conduit. He handed their large duffle bag down first before bracing himself and dropping to the floor quietly. She couldn't bring herself to glance back over at Magnius, who'd become a victim of their latest stunt. Things could still work out. She hoped it did for everyone's sake.

  Xander tossed her a bag of tea from the metal cylinder in his coat before heading over to the top bunk and hurling himself onto it. Before she started brewing it, the scientist's snores echoed throughout the small room. Magnius too had undressed and gone to bed.

  The solitude set her on edge more than a room packed with strangers did. Since her reawakening, she didn't like being alone. The prospect of something bad happening to her while no one was around worried her more than imprisonment. Given what Xander said happened to her, the fear had a logical basis.

  While she drank her tea, she noticed Magnius roll over and watch her in silence. She still smelled him on the clothes she wore. A part of her wanted to go over and get to know him better, but there'd be plenty of time for that as they ventured to Xur. In the meantime their circumstances stuck them together for better or for worse.

  Once she finished, she curled up on the floor with the coat draped around her and rested her head on her arms. A big part of her doubted she'd get any sleep tonight…the same way she hadn't slept since their escape from Icelandia. But she had to try.

  Chapter Twelve

  Nadine stared out the window while the Schenectady made its final approach toward Xur. The stars of Astra faded into the background of space, replaced by unfamiliar solar systems. The Centauri Nebula could still be seen at this distance as a red galactic blemish in the shape of a heart. Orion had gained a hundred pounds, broken his legs, and lost his dog. Not even the Southern Cross retained its shape.

  The Xuranians called their sun Vopa. No hint of yellow marred its white brilliance. The ships passed near the star on their way to Xur, and Nadine took in the sight with her husband from the tiny porthole in their quarters. The surface of Vopa glittered like scintillating diamond dust, and she watched the voluptuous tendrils of an impressive solar flare sweep toward the closest planet in their system. The sight sent a chill up her spine from its deadly beauty.

  The sudden appearance of Amii and Xander hadn't been far from her thoughts. Their escape complicated matters. Though she was happy to see her dear friend again, Nadine feared for them. Where in Astra did they plan to escape to once the AC put a bounty on their heads? She'd use every trick in the book to keep them safe for now, but once this voyage was over, they'd be on their own.

  Aside from that incident, the journey to Xur had been an uneventful one. The three AC vessels met up with three PAU ships at Barnard Station before embarking upon the weeklong voyage to the Xuranian homeworld. Every bunk on the ships had been filled, and people ate in shifts at all hours of the day. All diplomatic passengers were asked to remain in their quarters when they were not eating, so not to interfere with normal ship's operations.

  Nadine felt fortunate to be joined by her husband during this diplomatic mission. The two of them rarely worked side-by-side. The Vice President's duties revolved around Chara and the Allied Council, while hers worked to improve relations with other star systems. Between the two of them, they made a formidable team.

  Earlier in the week, Bryan had objected to leaving the regular presidential security detail behind in favor of Magnius. The subject remained an ongoing source of friction between them. They didn't need excessive security because the military would be on the surface with them, leaving bunks better filled by other personnel. The Vice President wasn't happy about her choice but accepted it as a concession. Being a Seer didn't make her invincible, but it did impart her with the wisdom of someone twice her age.

  No one else aboard knew Magnius was a psion. Nadine respected his wishes that such information remain a secret, but her husband wondered about the man who'd become her new pet project. Jealousy, anxiety, possessiveness—the normal male response to another man spending time with his betrothed. As a kindred psion who once cursed her wretched luck to be born an outcast, she understood his inner turmoil and wanted to help him rise to his potential, whatever that might be.

  A handful of small Xuranian fighters followed along with them while they made their way toward Xur. They seemed to be craft designed for a single person to operate with a shape that resembled a wasp in appearance. The black exterior of the ships blended into the backdrop of space without effort. Only the golden glow of their engines set them apart from the darkness.

  And then they passed a vessel that did nothing to camouflage itself in the black velvet canvas all around them. The ship's massive structure had been illuminated in a way that emphasized its size. Its steely contours met at odd angles, revealing evidence of heavy armor plating. She had no idea what sort of weaponry the Xuranians used, but the number of turrets star
tled her. The ship's engines were integrated into the interior of the ship itself, leaving a yellow trail of exhaust behind them.

  Bryan gaped at the behemoth. Oh my God…I really had no idea what they might be capable of. What if this wasn't the right thing to do? What if we piss them off and they decide to destroy us? There's no way we could stop a bunch of ships like that.

  For the first time, both of them had second thoughts about this peace mission. They had to make sure everything progressed smoothly to avoid an interstellar incident. She took her husband's hand, and her cool fingers leeched heat from his.

  He glanced at her. "What if they ask for something we can't give them? Do you still think we can do this?"

  "We have to try. Are you saying if you knew the true extent of their technology, you wouldn't have wanted to extend a hand in peace?"

  "I'm glad we did." He stared back out toward the ship while it drifted out of their view. "I just never expected to see a mothership like that from a race with a policy of peace."

  "It's possible the galaxy's a more hostile place that we know. I'm more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt if you are."

  He nodded as though trying to convince himself of the sentiment. "You're right. But there's more than my reputation on the line if this deal goes south."

  Nadine ran her fingers through his long chestnut hair. "Don't worry so much about things we can't control."

  He narrowed his eyes. The mere mention of fate spun him up faster than anything else. "I am in control of my destiny. We will do everything possible to forge this alliance. Our future is not yet written." Bryan stood and headed into the bathroom. After a few moments, she heard the running water of the shower start.

  For centuries, humans had been under the misguided impression that every decision mattered, when in fact what appeared to be a choice was not a choice at all. Nadine had studied the prophecies over the years in great detail, and along with her own visions, she'd come to a startling revelation: the future was predetermined. Efforts to alter the timeline were futile, something she'd tested repeatedly with visions. But her husband never agreed with the notion, and for that she thanked the stars. When people resigned to the fact that nothing they did mattered, they lost all ambition and hope for the future.

  From afar Xur resembled New England. The planet had five main continents isolated by a large continuous ocean. Xur possessed little cloud cover and no apparent ice caps at the poles. Huge swaths of desert covered a continent to the south of their approach trajectory. Eniqua had described their homeworld as a very beautiful place so Nadine looked forward to seeing it first-hand.

  She forced herself to turn away because the anticipation of landing felt like waiting for Christmas. While directing her attention to the bathroom, she tuned her mind into Bryan's thoughts. She didn't do it to strangers, but their relationship was strong enough that he didn't mind the occasional spying.

  I can't believe I'm missing the Fantasti Masters this week. Peter Colburn is at the top of his game right now. I don't know if anyone can beat him. But Paul Dougan always nails that course and is so intense. I think it will all come down to who's putting better this week. And I'm going to miss it!

  Nadine laughed to herself. Her husband's love of golf made no sense to her. His busy schedule didn't afford him much time to play so he lived vicariously through the professional circuit. Every week brought a different planet and a different course. She knew the Peter and Paul rivalry was huge on Tour right now, but the laid-back John Scott would forever be Bryan's favorite player.

  The door to the bathroom opened, and when he emerged, his gaze landed on her. In a smooth motion he scooped her up in his arms and kissed her, causing her to forget all about their little squabble earlier. Bryan's embrace was warm and inviting, and for those few minutes, watching the approach to Xur didn't matter. He was the sort of lover every man should be: passionate, tender, and hopelessly romantic. She felt fortunate to be among the lucky few to have found their soul mate.

  Once their desire had been quenched, Nadine led him back to the window. The sight that awaited them was shocking, almost horrifying. The rolling hills looked desolate. Remnants of long-dead native grass littered the countryside, and what had once been thriving trees cast wasted shadows from their gnarled limbs. These were not desert plants, yet the ground appeared parched and lifeless under the unrelenting sunlight. The ships passed over desiccated houses that no one had lived in for a great many years.

  While they headed farther north, signs of life began to emerge. Green fields replaced the straw-colored scrub, and deciduous trees mixed with modern buildings, both increasing in density as they continued north. Nadine tried to catch a glimpse of the mechanoids that Eniqua told her about but did not see any.

  In several minutes the Schenectady descended even more in preparation for landing. The ships cleared a high wall made of icy marble with silver accents. Every building appeared to be made out of the same ivory material, but none of the buildings had any windows. A row of silver arches streaked by and they were suddenly over a plaza filled with Xuranians, eager as they had been to catch a glimpse of the alien race setting foot on their soil. After clearing one more set of buildings, the ships landed on smooth gray surface with the dull thud everyone had grown accustomed to. They had arrived.

  Nadine sighed, trying to collect her rampant thoughts and slow the fluttering of her heart. Would this go as smoothly as the Xuranians had led them to believe or were there devils in the details…only time could answer that question.

  The human peace delegation filed off their respective ships and headed toward a group of Xuranians nearby. Despite the fact she was with her husband, Nadine felt troubled leaving the safety of their ships. Just a minimal crew would remain behind. No sooner had Commander Mundammi stepped onto Xur, she saw him light a hashish cigarette while Lieutenant-Commander Martinez waved its toxic smoke from her face and reminded him they didn't know Xuranian laws on such matters. Chairman Dodd sidled up to Councilwoman Stewart, who wore a gaudy party dress with white heels. Somehow in the crowd, Magnius managed to find her and followed several paces behind the second couple with Amii and Xander in tow.

  None of the humans had been allowed to bring weapons onto Xur. Like the UE, the Xuranians had a strict policy that citizens could not bear arms. If no one had weapons, they could threaten no one, which made security far easier. That made Magnius' presence vital. He didn't need a weapon because his mind was one. She wondered how much havoc he could wreak if he really wanted to, knowing only a select group of powerful telepaths could stop him.

  Her mind gravitated toward Magnius, who was easy to pick out in a crowd when he wasn't shielding himself. He broadcasted louder than the humans around him due to the fact he was psionic. His age made him a lot more traditional than most men she knew, but she found the characteristic quite redeeming in him. His reserved nature masked his optimism and intellect while his humble upbringing tempered his pride—a collection of traits that suited him well.

  Ever since she'd met him, she'd known about his fascination with Amii. Whenever he looked at her, his aura warmed and his racing heart took over. He did everything he could think of to hide it. He could fool himself if he wanted to, but there was no fooling a telepath. Subliminal loyalty to his wife kept his emotions restrained thus far, but his budding affection for Amii seemed boundless.

  When it came to Amii's feelings about Magnius, Nadine didn't know what to think. She felt like a first grader trying to tackle Shakespeare or a preschooler hoping to understand one of Mozart's great operas. Amii's stoicism and naïveté contradicted one another. She doubted an educated woman who'd traveled Astra at Xander's side would be so open-minded. And yet, on the surface nothing seemed wrong with her. If anything, her particular blend of characteristics complimented Xander's.

  For a moment Nadine wished she were a less ethical telepath, one with no qualms about forcing herself into the scientist's mind and making him reveal all of Amii's secrets.
But as she'd told her friend not long ago, perhaps it was best not to know.

  Even though they were a good distance back from where the Xuranians waited, she could tell there was something very different about one of them. He stood proudly, like a confident commander used to asserting his authority in all kinds of situations. "Welcome to Xur." His booming voice echoed among the buildings. It sounded musical and inviting. "Thank you all for coming. Please accompany us to the palace for a formal introduction with the Divine Chancellor and an afternoon meal."

  The palace was not far from the landing area. Nadine couldn't see beyond the tall, white buildings that lined streets for as far as the eye could see. Their group headed east through an ornate silver archway, and upon turning north, an unusual structure loomed. It looked like it had risen straight out of the sea adjacent to it.

  The sandstone castle had a wide base and each level was smaller than the one below it, bordered by enough roof to cover the tier beneath. Silver and gold accents adorned crescent-shaped shingles. Four large towers reached toward heaven from its corners. The structure appeared to continue down into the turbid water. The stark absence of windows disturbed her.

  What secrets might such a palace hold? She considered the possibilities, each thought exciting her and advancing her curiosity of the Xuranians. Her husband told her the Xuranians had once been a world of many hundred clans, allied but not bound together under one rule. Bryan didn't understand how one family came to divine power though. Perhaps she'd have a chance to ask Eniqua this afternoon. She seemed more personable than the rest of the Xuranians.

  "How old do you figure that castle is?" Bryan wondered aloud without breaking his stride.

  Nadine smiled. "Older than Aliane, without a doubt. The city must've been amazing when all the buildings had that style. I wonder what happened…"

  "Maybe it was bombarded by other aliens," Magnius said, keeping pace behind them. "I don't think the galaxy is as friendly a place as the Xuranians make it out to be."