by Zara Zenia
“Albert is following us,” Tadisha informed me. “In the event that Mr. Janeway has any questions.”
“Ok,” I responded, though I was ready to be free of all this company. Tadisha had been supportive and helpful, but, regardless, I needed to grieve.
When we arrived, we were greeted by armed guards and shown into an unassuming warehouse, then shown into the underbelly of the Janeway Operation.
Nerves coiled in my stomach as we sat in a small office, waiting for Charles to come in. He himself had experience with shapeshifting aliens. The outcome of which was displayed prominently on his face. Still, he had fought to keep the city free of invading forces and I felt ashamed of my role in undermining his efforts.
Albert was shown in shortly and made a fuss over the lack of courtesy and amenities. To his privileged mind, he should be treated with deference everywhere he went. I rolled my eyes and looked forward to the conclusion of the meeting.
Charles finally came in and greeted us. He was of average height, barely a hair taller than me, and his powerful mien reminded me of my father in his healthier days.
“Ladies, good afternoon. What brings you to my office today? I take it this is not a social visit,” he said, settling behind a plain, unadorned steel desk.
“Sadly, it is much graver than that,” I said as I began detailing the events of the past week and a half, leaving only the most personal details out.
“Shapeshifting dragon aliens? An interesting development,” he said stoically, studying my face and then Tadisha’s.
“No. Monsters. You must rally any and all forces you have and obliterate them,“ Tadisha said, impassioned.
“What proof do you have of their hostility? I need to know what my men are getting into.” He didn’t seem as alarmed as I expected, but a good leader knew when to show emotion and when not to.
Albert looked at him with his typical condescending arrogance. “Have you even been listening? Let me spell this out for you. Aliens equal bad guys. Those bad guys are coming here and your job is to kill them. Is that clear enough?”
I braced myself for a fight, but Charles just stared him down, serious and impassive.
“Excuse me, I need to use the facilities,” Tadisha said, wincing and arching her back. The drive had not been the most comfortable and I felt the ache of it in my muscles, as well.
Charles led her out and pointed her toward a restroom and refresh chamber.
Coming back in, we continued our conversation as I told him about the pods and my concern for the human women we had left behind.
A knock sounded at the door and a brawny blond man came in quickly, handing Charles a sleek work panel. He looked at it, and then, expressionless, he stood up and walked out of the room.
He briefly looked back over his shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’re going to deal with this situation appropriately. You did the right thing coming to us. Just excuse me for a moment while I deal with an urgent medical situation.”
Albert called out, sounding like an impudent child, “Well, considering you’re leaving us with an alien invasion to deal with, I sure hope your ‘medical situation’ is life or death. This is unbelievable!”
As I sat there, and Tadisha returned looking reinvigorated, I suddenly began to feel a strange sensation, an overwhelming desire in that moment to be in Ragal’s arms, to be comforted by him, just to be near him. Tricks of an exhausted, foolish mind. I did my best to block them out.
Chapter 15
Ragal
My brothers and I had flown for days on end, stopping as infrequently as possible, and with very little food or water by the time we reached Steel City once more. As Dragselians, we could heal from nearly any injury, but still, exhaustion was nipping at our heels. Yet I was fueled by something far more compelling.
In my mind, I had replayed our last moments together a thousand times. I knew she felt used, manipulated, and I was ashamed to acknowledge to myself that she was right to feel that way. But it was also clear that she believed everything we had shared was a fabrication, and I clung to the hope that if I could convince her that I hadn’t deceived her about that, I might not lose her.
That hope became an obsession and I flew ahead, leading the way, pressing everyone on even when I myself was tired and aching. For just one more moment in her arms, I would fly forever.
We neared the city’s outer wall, the shining metal ring that separated and insulated this collective of humans from the wilds beyond. I suddenly realized that my brothers and I were a part of that wilderness, and, in that moment, I felt untamed, undomesticated in pursuit of my love.
I knew there was a real possibility that she could not forgive what I had done, and if that was the case, I would honor her wishes. But I knew I couldn’t live the rest of my life knowing I hadn’t tried, that I hadn’t fought with every ounce of energy I possessed to win her back.
We shifted before entering the city’s gates and determined that the best course would be to seek out Charles Janeway, who had pledged to help us with our ship. As the de facto leader of Steel City, he was as concerned as we by the Infernian threat, having faced them himself. Being so prominent in the city, I harbored hope that he might be able to persuade Tasha to at least hear us out.
Making our way to Charles’ headquarters, I EE’d Keto—my main contact with Janeway’s operation. I had been practicing EE with Jennifer and Andie, but it was difficult to condense a thought, to distill the chatter in my own mind, and at times I had accidentally relayed more information than I meant to or sent confusing jumbles of static.
Until I perfected my use of the communication system, I would stick to simple voice transmissions. Keto responded to my urgent request to see Charles, letting me know that Tasha had just arrived with Tadisha and Albert in tow.
Letting us in, Keto greeted us brusquely, “Charles is speaking with Ms. Lord-Case and her associates now, but he wants to see you right away.”
Zaruv murmured, “Good, there is much to be said.”
We were led to the same windowless subterranean room in which we had met with him the first time. Our last audience had ended in the beheading of an Infernian and the revelation of a deadly coordinated effort to wipe the royal line of Dragselia out of existence. I hoped this audience might end with slightly less theater.
We waited, Jennifer and Andie yawned, their human bodies more prone to fatigue than ours. I paced the floor, unsettled by the realization that Tasha was somewhere in the building. I could feel her presence, something in my gut recognizing and reaching out for her. I wondered if she felt it too.
The moment Janeway entered, I caught myself interrogating him, “Is Tasha okay? Where is she? What did she say?”
He looked at me commandingly and I forced myself to ease back, knowing I seemed like a crazed madman, but I couldn’t help it.
“Ms. Lord-Case is safe. She’s down the hall—we’ll get to her in a minute. First, I hear you’ve been busy,” he began. “Why don’t you tell me your side of this story, and we’ll see if we can sort all this out.”
Zaruv started, “We reached out to Ms. Lord-Case hoping to gain LCC’s assistance in collecting our ship and rebuilding it. You informed us that they would likely be the only place we would be able to acquire the necessary tools and materials to undertake such a mission. So, we connected with her, Tasha, that is, and she agreed to participate in the project.”
Janeway quirked an eyebrow and I felt compelled to be clear, “We didn’t connect with Tasha. I did. I’m not proud to admit it, but we were worried that the company’s interests would override the moral imperatives at play, and I decided it would be best to create an alternate premise for what we were doing.”
“So you swept her off her feet?” he said, and I felt the judgment in his gaze.
“I intended to tell her the truth once I was sure she could be trusted, and, as you well know, the stakes were too high to risk doing otherwise.” I knew my defense was weak, but somehow it had made sense to me at
the time.
Janeway looked back to my brothers. “So, then what?”
We took turns explaining the events as they had unfolded over the course of the trip. Janeway listened patiently.
“So Tasha discovered your true identity and, understandably frightened, fled the swamp and came here,” he said, summarizing the last of the events. “Well, your side of things is slightly different from what I just heard from Tasha, Albert, and Tadisha. You don’t have a lot of fans in that room, I’ll add.”
Zaruv spoke up, “We have been suspicious of Albert and Tadisha since they joined the expedition party. I don’t know what they told you, but they have behaved oddly throughout this exploit, and I would caution you to heed their words with caution.”
Charles nodded. “You were right to be suspicious.” He extended a work panel and enabled holographic imaging, showing Tadisha walking down a hall and into a room. “During our meeting, Tadisha excused herself under the guise of needing to use the restroom. I don’t take security here lightly, and I have eyes everywhere. She was seen going into an empty office and injecting herself with something you may find familiar.”
In the hologram, Tadisha pulled out a vial of colorless, cloudy liquid and activated a built-in syringe, burying it into her forearm. Convulsing violently, she collapsed and lay motionless for a few moments.
Then, as if she had just woken from a slumber, she stood, straightened her clothes, and walked casually out of the room.
“An Infernian!” growled Karun.
I felt fear and anger mixing potently in my stomach, as alarm gave rise to panic.
“Where is she? Where did she go after this?” I demanded.
“She is waiting in the office with Tasha and Albert. None of them have any idea what’s going on. We’ve sealed off ventilation so she won’t pick up on your scents, and I have armed guards at every exit. Right now, they think I left to handle a medical crisis.”
Pavar asked, his expression nearly a snarl, “And Albert? Is he an Infernian, as well?”
“He appears to be human. An asshole, but a human one.”
As they sat discussing the situation and the best way to tactically handle things, I warred with myself and my own emotions, trying to reach Tasha.
I imagined the last time I had held her, the hope and the love I had felt. In my mind, I saw her eyes, full of trust and warmth, and I focused on that, struggling to block out everything else.
I closed my eyes and released the thought as I EE’d her. Sending my thought sequence out, praying that it would be clear and that what I had felt for her, what I believed she felt as well, would be enough to convince her to listen, just long enough for her to get away from Tadisha.
“I’ve sent her a message,” I announced quietly.
Everyone turned around, but Janeway spoke first, “You did what?!”
“I am new to EE, but I told her that she isn’t safe where she is. I told her she should excuse herself to the restroom quietly and lock the door.”
He didn’t look pleased. “You realize that if you’ve just started using EE, you have no real control over what you communicated, right? If you didn’t send a clear message, she could end up alerting that Infernian and forcing my men to intervene before we’re ready, putting us all in danger.”
“I’m sorry, but she’s an innocent, and I can’t leave her alone in a room with an Infernian assassin. What if…” An urgent knock came at the door and fear cut off my voice.
Beating Charles to the door, I rushed forward and opened it, terrified that he was right and I had just sent the situation spiraling out of control.
Swinging it open, I found myself staring into the mesmerizing blue eyes that had haunted me. Tasha stood there before me, staring back at me with a look I couldn’t begin to read.
Every fiber of my being rejoiced to see her. I wanted with utter desperation to reach out and hold her, to revel in her nearness and to know that she was safe. Instead, we just stared at each other, frozen by the weight of all that had happened.
Chapter 16
Tasha
Looking back at Ragal, my emotions ran amok. All the confusion, the pain, the betrayal, the doubt, the regret—it all amplified in his presence. He still looked as handsome as the last time we had been together, his jet-black hair tousled around his face, his dark eyes shadowed and a little wild. I felt unraveled and raw standing before him.
The message he sent me had been difficult to decipher. It was a mash of sensation and images, overlaid by his voice in fragments. I saw myself through his eyes, broken moments of the time we had spent together. Then I saw him here, in this building, in a room at the end of the hall. I felt his desperation, his fear, and… I wasn’t sure I could trust it, but I felt love from him.
I had to know what was going on, though I feared what the cost might be. I stared into the black depths of his eyes, searching for the answer to a question I couldn’t quite form.
Someone cleared their throat from within the room and my focus was shaken. I looked past him, into the chamber, and saw everyone we had abandoned in the wastes of the swamplands.
Their expressions were stony and unsettling. I felt my palms grow cold. Fear and uncertainty took hold, and I belatedly wondered if I had walked into some kind of trap.
I cleared my throat and tried to gain composure. “I got your message. It was a confusing jumble, but I saw you here, in the building. I don’t know how or why you’re here, but I came because I needed to know what was going on.”
Suddenly, a form appeared from behind Ragal. It was Charles Janeway, much to my surprise.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice sounding less and less confident.
“Tasha, please, come in. We need to speak with you privately and fast,” Charles said, ushering me forward and looking quickly into the hall before closing the door with a decisive click.
I walked around Ragal, feeling my body respond to his nearness. His face was full of relief and something else. If I hadn’t known better, I would have said yearning, but that couldn’t be right.
I sat in the chair Charles pulled out for me and nervously looked from face to face. Ragal stayed standing, one eye on the door as if he was waiting for someone else.
Finally, Charles seated himself and spoke, “There are a few things you need to know. Firstly, I was already aware of the alien presence on Vaxivia, long before you came to me today. Secondly, you have been fed several lies about our Dragselian visitors.”
I felt my stomach clench as I readied myself for yet another shocking revelation.
Ragal said, “Have you heard of Infernians?”
I forced myself to meet his eyes. “No, the term sounds familiar, but I don’t know anything about them.”
He took a deep breath. “They’re what ancient Earth humans would have thought of as devils or demons because of their hideous appearances and bloodthirsty, amoral tendencies. In actuality, they are an alien race from the planet Infernis. Everywhere they go, they bring chaos and death.”
I looked at him, feeling even more confused. “What does this have to do with anything?”
Charles spoke up, “Well, you’ve been working with one for the last year or so.”
I was shocked. “Albert is an alien?”
Charles quirked a smile. “While he does in some ways fit the description, no. It’s Tadisha, his assistant.”
“Tadisha? What? No, that’s not possible…” I said, feeling my stomach sink.
Ragal edged closer. “It’s true. I’m sorry, I know she is your friend, but it is a ruse. She is an agent for her people, here to ready the way for more of her kind.”
“She’s not the first Infernian we’ve dealt with either,” Charles said. “Levin, the alien I wrested control of Steel City from, was one of her kind. They’re able to shift their form so that they appear human, but there is no humanity in them.”
Ragal looked at me regretfully. “You’re not safe around her. At any moment, she could decide you’
re no longer of use or you’re interfering with her mission, and she won’t think twice about killing you.”
Andie said, “It’s true, Tasha. I know it’s hard to believe. I was shocked at first, too, but after being hunted and nearly killed by one, I can tell you they’re some evil bastards.”
Ragal continued, “We have no idea how many people she has harmed already, but one thing you can be certain of is that an Infernian has no qualms about hurting or killing anyone who gets in their way.”
It was all too much. Was there no one left in this city I could trust? Was everyone a walking shapeshifter?
I felt a dry, bitter laugh rise in my throat. “Is it not enough that you have manipulated me? Why do you want to break up the only friendship I have left?”
Ragal’s voice was full of intensity as he said, “Do you mean like Tadisha broke us up? How she convinced you that I was an evil monster who cared nothing for you?”
I was stunned to hear the pain in his voice, and I hesitated, no ready response. Were they right? I felt like a hapless pawn, in the middle of a game I didn’t know the rules to, moving about the board on others’ whims.
Ragal came up to me, kneeling, and grabbed my hands. The warmth of his palms was soothing, and I felt some of the darkness that was gripping me ease away.
“I’m so sorry, Tasha. I never meant for you to be placed in danger like this. You have to believe me, that was never my intention.”
“But you did mean to use me…”
He took a breath. “Yes, and for that I am deeply, truly sorry. But what you need to know is that everything that happened between us was real. I intended to contact you and gain your assistance with our ship because we had been shot down and hunted by Infernians, then we learned of a larger plot that involved the takeover of our home planet, Dragselia. My brothers and I want nothing more than to save our people.
