Ouroboros 4: End

by Odette C. Bell

  He couldn’t sleep though.

  It wasn’t every day the Coalition decided to blow up an entire planet. It wasn’t an easy task, either. Few cruisers had the firepower required to rip away the rock surrounding a planet’s core and obliterate it completely.

  The technology did exist, though, and was now being assembled at break-neck speed.

  The wheels were in motion, to borrow an old Earth phrase, and soon enough a fleet would leave for Remus 12.

  To destroy it.

  Using top priority routes, it could make it there in time. All other traffic along the transport lines would be shut down to preserve speed, but any inconvenience caused would be a small price to pay for the ultimate survival of the Coalition.

  Carson would accompany the fleet to Remus 12. He still knew the most about the Vex, and he’d be an asset to any team.

  Nida would come too. The Admiral was adamant her unique perspective may come in handy. Nida had clearly impressed the Admiral with her assessment of the Vex, and the worst recruit in 1000 years had skyrocketed in Forest’s eyes.

  Carson was in two minds about bringing her along. Yes, she knew a lot about the Vex, and if their plan went wrong, she really would be an incalculable asset. She could fight alongside him, and with her control of the entity, it could give them a chance.

  He could also keep an eye on her, try to bolster her spirits whenever he could.

  . . . .

  But was it really a good idea to take her along? What if the entity did something? What if Nida did something?

  Though he’d never question her loyalty, he knew she’d be appalled at the decision to destroy Remus 12. An ordinary cadet would have to stow their opinions and get on with the mission.

  Nida never had been and never would be a normal cadet.

  Once she found out the Coalition’s intensions, she could . . . what? What did he honestly think she’d do?

  Join the Vex? Side with the entity?

  Of course she wouldn’t.

  This was Nida; she’d do what was right.

  Satisfied of that fact, he walked through the Academy halls in a bit of a daze. Though there was so much to do, he was having trouble focusing. He just wanted to get it all done already. Snap his fingers, arrive on Remus 12, destroy it, and finish this sorry adventure.

  He couldn’t.

  So he’d have to learn to live with the sinking feeling in his gut.

  Still in a daze, Carson walked into someone. Apologizing immediately, he maneuvered swiftly around them to continue on.

  ‘What the hell?’ the guy turned.

  Carson froze.

  ‘Where the heck have you been? I don’t see you for weeks, and now you’re pretending you don’t know me?’

  It was Travis.

  God, it was Travis.

  Carson faced his best friend.

  He was alive.

  His best friend was alive.

  Carson started to laugh. He coughed through it, his chest shaking, his cheeks paling in disbelief as he locked a hand over his mouth.

  Travis was alive.

  Of course he was—he’d died in the future, but this was the present.

  That wasn’t the point though. The memory of Travis’ sacrifice was still so raw in Carson’s mind, he could feel it tingling in his gut and the palms of his hands.

  Travis looked at him askance. 'Ah, what?'

  'You're alive,' Carson breathed through his surprise. He couldn’t shake the shock of seeing his best friend. It shook through him instead.

  ‘. . . Ah, yeah, last time I checked I was. Why are you being so weird? I heard you had a wild adventure—though no one’s deemed to share the exact details with me.

  Apparently they’re top secret or something. Seriously though, were you hit on the head? Of course I’m alive.’

  Carson was speechless. To see Travis in the flesh and blood, joking as he always did, was confronting.

  It brought back memories of seeing him sacrifice himself and his ship for a slim chance of saving the present . . . .

  Carson sucked in a deep breath.

  Travis narrowed his eyes. ‘What’s up with you? You’re all pale? And what the heck happened with that Nida character, ha?’ Travis’ demeanor suddenly changed. In fact, light bulbs appeared to go off behind his eyes, a worrying enthusiasm infiltrating his tone. ‘I heard from one of the guys on Harrington’s security team that you held hands with her. Now how cute is that? The great Carson Blake holding hands, I mean, wow. I kind of had a feeling there could be something between the two of you.’

  Carson shook his head.

  He could barely process this. Seeing Travis so cheerful and oblivious was jostling with the memory of seeing his ashen and broken face from the future.

  Clamping a hand over his mouth, Carson simply breathed.

  ‘So anyway, when the Academy finishes debriefing you, we should go out. Bridget, that friend of Alicia, keeps asking after you. Though I suppose I should tell her you’re now accounted for, ha?’

  ‘Travis . . . I’m not going to get a chance to go out tonight.’

  ‘What? You and Nida got other plans?’ he smirked.

  Carson didn’t react. He didn’t care that Travis was teasing him. Heck, all Carson cared about was that his best friend was still alive.

  He’d have to try hard to keep him that way, though.

  ‘No, we don’t have other plans. Travis . . . I’ve still got something to sort out with the Academy.’

  News of the Vex had not and would not spread. Only those on the Board would know of the plan to destroy Remus 12, only those on the resultant mission to destroy the planet would ever know what had happened.

  If the Academy publicized what was happening, there’d be panic.

  Carson couldn’t and wouldn’t say a word. He tried for an unconvincing smile instead.

  ‘What? Has something come up? Are they going to send the Force on some kind of mission? Because I’ve got to admit, this couldn’t come at a more inconvenient time: things are just starting to work out with Alicia.’

  Inconvenient time, ha? Yeah, Carson could appreciate that on a level Travis couldn’t begin to comprehend.

  Rather than set his friend straight, Carson swallowed and tried to keep his expression neutral. ‘It’ll be awhile till I’m done with the Academy.’

  ‘Okay, whatever. Let me know when you’re ready to go out, though. I can’t wait to see the E Club when the worst recruit in 1000 years walks in hanging off your arm.’

  ‘Don’t call her that,’ Carson snapped. It was quick, it was harsh, and it underlined just how nervy he felt.

  Travis’ eyes opened wide in surprise. ‘Ah, okay . . . touchy subject. I’ve got it. Anyhow, glad you’re home buddy,’ Travis moved forward and slapped a hand on Carson’s back.

  Carson looked up into his friend’s face. ‘Yeah,’ he managed after a lengthy pause. ‘Good to be home.’

  Offering him a confused look, Travis shrugged, moved off, and offered a nonchalant wave over his shoulder. ‘Good luck doing whatever you’re doing.’

  He’d need it.

  God, he’d need it.

  Chapter 14

  Cadet Nida Harper

  She was at a loss.

  A total loss.

  She stuck around outside the boardroom until someone dismissed her.

  Now she simply wandered the corridors. She wasn’t sure whether she should return to her room in the medical bay, or whether she was free to go wherever she pleased.

  Admiral Forest seemed confident the entity was in control. Nida doubted that meant she could head back to class, go out on the town, or resume her old life as normal, though.

  She should stick around the Academy.

  If she was lucky, Carson would come find her and tell her what they’d do next.

  What had the Academy Board decided? Would they evacuate Earth? Would they set up a defensive perimeter around the solar system?

  Would she even be told?

&
nbsp; Forest had made it clear Nida was just a cadet, and cadets had no business discussing the fate of the Coalition.

  Maybe Nida’s part in this journey really was over. Carson and the rest of the Academy elite would see to the protection of their home, while she twiddled her thumbs.

  As she walked, she stretched a hand out, pressing her fingers into the wall beside her.

  It was her left hand.

  Only the faintest blue glow encased it. Her skin no longer danced with that light, nor did her veins bulge with its power.

  She could call on it, though. In a heartbeat, in a breath, in an instant—she could force through the TI to the entity, and command its incredible power.

  She could lift the metal from the wall she touched, she could pull the carpet from the floor she walked upon. She could send every person spiraling through the air.

  The power was always there. Right at her fingertips.

  With it was the ever present question: with this much power, couldn’t she save the Vex?

  With those same old thoughts assailing her, she didn’t notice as someone walked up behind her.

  ‘Oh my god, where the hell have you been? What happened to you?’ Alicia dropped the datapads she carried and threw herself at Nida.

  Surprised, Nida squeaked as Alicia wrapped her arms around Nida’s neck and hugged her tightly.

  ‘Nida, what happened to you? No one would tell us anything. That night the TI object almost impaled you at the E Club . . . God, I didn’t think I’d see you again.’

  Alicia wasn’t the kind to blubber. She was the kind to smile like a calculating cat and get you to do her bidding with a huff and a pout.

  No. That was the old Alicia. The one Nida had never really known.

  Her flat mate had already proved she was a decent person. Without her help, Nida really would have died at the E Club.

  Alicia pushed away and looked into Nida’s face, her eyes darting about as she assessed Nida carefully. ‘Are you okay? Where have you been?’

  Nida opened her mouth.

  How to begin?

  Ah, she’d been thrown back in time by a guilty entity hell-bent on fixing the damage it had accidently wrought to an entire world’s timeline?

  There was no neat way to summarize this.

  She also knew she shouldn’t try; she wasn’t allowed to share any details of her adventure, nor the looming threat from the Vex, not until the Board decided what to do.

  So Nida stood there and scrunched her lips together, trying to think of a good excuse.

  Alicia’s eyebrows crumpled and she crossed her arms. ‘You’re not allowed to say, ha? I get it. But . . . Nida, I’m so happy you’re home.’

  Alicia sounded and looked genuine. There was no haughty edge to her chin, nor a dismissive note to her voice.

  ‘Thanks, Alicia. It’s . . . good to be . . .’ she trailed off.

  She wanted to say home.

  She couldn’t.

  She wasn’t home. Not really. A part of her—the entity—was still far away from where it belonged.

  Alicia’s brow peaked in concern as she unhooked her arms and nodded. ‘Hey, I know you can’t talk about it, but do you want me to take you home? I wouldn’t really walk the corridors if I were you. You’re kind of a celebrity. No one has any idea what happened. Someone or something triggered the End Game Maneuver, Nida. It was insane. And I haven’t seen you since. I want to ask if you know something about it, but—’

  ‘Holy crap, it’s Nida Harper,’ someone said.

  It was not Alicia, nor Carson, nor Travis, and of course it wasn’t the Admiral.

  Oh no. As Nida turned, she recognized Bradley Marshall.

  The same guy who’d given her hell that night at the E Club.

  He was a bully, and he just loved picking on the worst and the weakest. Which was her.

  Despite the fact she had the power of the entity, and could technically send Bradley shooting through the wall or out into space, she instantly felt sick.

  ‘Where on Earth have you been? If you’ve been on Earth, that is. And what the heck happened that night at the E Club? You screw something up again? Christ, they should have kicked you out of the Academy long ago.’

  Bradley was drawing a crowd. Not only was he belittling her, he was doing it loudly.

  ‘What, you're not going to say anything?’ he challenged, chucking his head back and laughing as he did.

  The last time Bradley had cornered her, Travis had come to her defense.

  Travis wasn’t here.

  ‘Shut the hell up,’ Alicia hissed. ‘What’s wrong with you?’

  ‘Oh come on, it’s obvious. We’re meant to be in it together at the Academy. The people we train with, are the very same people we’ll rely on in space. We have to know they’ll have our backs. You need to know they’ll be competent enough to rely on. Harper’s the worst damn recruit I’ve ever seen. The minute anyone relies on her, she’ll get ‘em killed.’

  ‘How dare you,’ Alicia tried.

  ‘How dare I? Easily. You know I’m right. No one can rely on her. She’ll be a danger to any crew she joins. They should just kick her out now.’

  Nida didn’t say a word. She didn’t rise to her own defense.

  Why bother?

  He was right, wasn’t he? She’d started this situation. By touching the statue on Remus 12, she’d started this.

  A smarter recruit would have acted differently.

  A smarter recruit would have fixed this by now.

  A smarter recruit would have saved the Vex, too.

  At her fingertips was the incredible energy of the entity, yet she wasn’t wise enough to use it correctly.

  Nida curled the fingers of her left hand hard into her palm. It wasn’t out of anger, but defeat.

  She couldn’t shake the feeling she wasn’t adequate. Someone else, anyone else could have figured out how to save everyone without condemning a soul.

  For all the evil the Vex had committed, no race deserved their fate.

  ‘What, you aren’t going to say anything? You’re not even going to come to your own defense, are you? Because you’re weak, Nida Harper. A waste of goddamn Academy space. Quit already, give someone better a chance.’

  She dug her fingers harder into her left palm. The only reason her fingernails didn’t pierce the flesh was the entity and the power it gave her.

  Bradley had drawn a large crowd now. People were actually popping their heads around from doorways to watch the show.

  ‘You’re just going to stand there, aren’t you? You can’t come to your own defense, so how the heck are you going to come to ours? The Coalition would be better off without you. I pity anyone who has to rely on you. You’ll get everyone killed for sure—’ though Bradley’s voice was acerbic and brimming with indignation, suddenly it cut out.

  It was as if someone had slammed a fist into his throat.

  She was aware someone walked up to her shoulder, and she felt them lean down and pluck up her left hand.

  Carson.

  He pried her fingers from her palm and laced his own against hers.

  Startled, she stared at him.

  Silence spread throughout the hallway quicker than the speed of light.

  Carson Blake was holding her hand. In public.

  He turned to her, his lips drawn thin over his teeth, a compassionate look warming his gaze.

  Her obsession with being unable to save the Vex lifted. All those repetitive thoughts flew from her mind.

  His presence was like a gravity pool, tugging her from her problems as she concentrated on him instead.

  ‘Ah, what the hell?’ Bradley coughed.

  She knew everyone was looking at her. She didn’t care. She kept staring at Carson Blake.

  He was appraising her with the kind of gentle look that could not be mistaken for platonic.

  ‘Ah, Blake, what are you doing?’ Bradley continued.

  ‘We’re ignoring you,’ Carson said simply without turni
ng from her. ‘You’re an idiot. You’ve got no idea what’s happening. You’re shouting your mouth off about your own hang ups, because you’re a coward. You’re the one who’s worried about others relying on you. And you should be. It’s an immense responsibility.’ Carson still didn’t shift his gaze from her. He might as well have been talking on a com line, rather than to the guy barely two meters to his side. ‘Some people can’t handle it. Some can,’ he smiled at her. ‘And there are some people who handle it so well, they can save everyone.’

  Bradley spluttered.

  Carson ignored him and continued. ‘I know who I'd want watching my back, Marshall, and it isn’t you. It’s Nida.’

  Bradley made a strangled attempt at laughing. ‘You’re joking, right?’

  ‘No. I don’t find this funny. Nor will the Admiral. Come on, Nida.’

  She let him lead her away by the hand.

  To be honest, she was kind of dazed.

  So was the rest of the crowd.

  It wasn’t every day Carson Blake came to the defense of some random cadet, was it?

  No. She wasn’t a random cadet; she was at the center of this, and so was he.

  By misfortune, or maybe luck, they’d been thrown together.

  And now, more than ever, she was thankful for his company.

  There was something about his mere presence that could lift her mood, something that could force her to hope they could get through this.

  They walked together until they were far away from that cursed corridor and their watchful audience. She didn’t look back, though she was sure Alicia gave a cheerful

  ‘whoop!’ at one point, probably insanely ecstatic Carson Blake was together with Nida.

  They were together, weren’t they? That kiss hadn’t been an accident.

  She tightened her grip on his hand.

  Finally they reached a door, and Carson swiped his wrist over a panel, gaining access with a discordant beep.

  The room beyond was messy. Really messy. There was a large desk in one corner, but you could barely see it from underneath a sea of datapads and broken gun casings.

  Pulse batteries lay scattered over the floor, with broken devices littered amongst them.

  Even the chair was covered in junk.