“We have no idea what will be on the other side,” Suma said, her words more a warning than anything.
“The world was lush, fertile. The crew of the vessel returned with proof. Soil. Minerals. We packed up everything and left. It took twenty-five years to build the colony vessels to deliver millions of us to the other side. We left Sterona, the lightning storms treacherous, the lava ocean more poisonous than before,” Brik told us.
“How extensive was the journey?” I asked. We’d flown from Sterona to the Keppe world, and I tried to estimate the length of a trip like that from their home to our current position. In Light, I guessed it would be over a year. With Brik’s ancient technology, I assumed the journey would be a lot longer.
“Eight years,” he said. “I started the trek as a youth, around Lady Jules’ age.”
“That’s a long time to move millions of people over such a vast distance,” Mary told him.
Brik’s dark gaze went distant and he stared at the wall behind us, his eyes unfocused. “It was not an easy task. That’s what took us so long in the first place. Not only did we need vessels large enough to house all our people, but we needed food, ways to grow vegetation, recycle water. Everything you don’t consider until you plan such a long voyage.”
“What was the trip like?” Mary leaned toward Brik, and his gaze snapped into focus once again, and he smiled.
“I spent time with my family. My sister Viaren, and my parents… we lived in a room together, spoiled as children by having our own space back home. Eight years traveling in one room, three bunks between the four of us. I imagine now the journey was tough on my parents, not having alone time often. We did have school, but I finished on the way. Education wasn’t as much a priority by then among our people. We were less interested in teaching the old ways and were using the time to train others in things that would benefit the colony.
“I was taught robotics and engineering. Loved it too. I spent every waking hour for the last three years of the trek in the robotics lab, working with the other mechanics and engineers, creating drones and other bots that would assist the construction of a new city.” Brik paused for a drink of water.
“Robotics… would you be interested in checking on something with me later?” Suma asked.
His eyes lit up. “What do you have?”
“We picked up a straggler vessel – abandoned a few months ago, by the records. No life forms on it, just robots. Worker models, mostly, used by a corporation to load and unload; also, assembly lines. Factory robots, among other things,” Suma told him.
“What do you need me to do?” Brik asked.
“We can’t seem to activate them. I’ve tried, but either their energy sources are dead or I’m not doing it right.” It was clear Suma was frustrated with the Pleva robots. She never failed at anything, and it was driving her crazy.
“I’d be happy to help,” Brik said.
“I’m sorry you have to return like this.” I took a drink of my water, fiddling with my glass.
“Like what?” he asked.
“So many years later. Your family will be gone,” I said, not trying to remind him.
“I’m at peace with that. I suspect they lived long and fruitful lives. Perhaps their ancestors remain, and I can be reunited with my bloodline.” Brik beamed at the prospect.
“Good attitude. We have a month before we reach the Ginda system. I offered a visit to Sterona before we arrived, so how about we do that in a few days? Gives you time to assist Suma here, and then we’ll take a trip down memory lane.” I grinned toward him, anxious to participate in a tour of the place with one of the locals. He’d grown up there, not far from the shop we’d housed ourselves in, from what he’d told me.
“That sounds perfect,” Brik said, his tail waving beside him like an agitated cat’s.
“Dean, do you mind if we go to the ship in the hangar? I’d like to have Brik take a peek at the robots before I call it a day,” Suma said.
“Not a problem. Please, exercise extreme caution. Only activate one, and do so apart from the others. We don’t want any kind of altercation on our hands. We have no idea what their programming is.” I stood and paused by the door. Jules was waiting for Mary and me. She had something important to discuss, and I was glad she’d finally decided to talk about it. She’d been moping around for days now, keeping to herself.
“Consider it done, sir,” Suma said, giving me a smile. It was kind of strange being called sir and captain by my long-time friends, but they seemed to get a kick out of it, so I let it be.
We left them, chatting about the positronic mechanics of a robot’s central system, and when the door closed, Mary kissed me. “That’s in case we’re ever trapped in a room for eight years.”
I kissed her back, this time holding it for a few moments longer. “I’ll kick the kids out anytime you want.”
She laughed at this, and we started the walk to our quarters. We waved and said hello to most of the crew as we passed them, everyone familiar with us now. I recalled most of their names, and greeted as many by their titles as I could.
“What do you think Jules wants to discuss?” Mary asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“She’s been off since her trip to Haven, but she wouldn’t talk to me about it yet. She just told me she needed some time to think things through.” Mary talked as we walked, and I stopped along the way to grab coffees. Even Jules was into the caffeinated beverages.
“Do you think we should condone coffee drinking at her age?” I asked.
“I was drinking the stuff,” Mary said.
“And your parents let you?”
“Sure.” Mary gave me a mischievous look. “I didn’t let them catch me for the first couple of years.”
“Do you think that’s what Jules has been doing?” I asked.
“That’s silly… she’s been pretty open about wanting coffee.”
“That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about keeping secrets from us. Remember when she was a kid, and she didn’t tell us she still had her powers?” I knew she did, making the question rhetorical.
“She apologized for that.”
“Doesn’t change the fact she concealed it.” I grabbed two coffees, thanking the robot barista, and Mary took the third.
“Dean, she was a little girl. Can you imagine what she’s had to endure in her short life? It’s incredible. By the time I was fifteen, I’d only had to deal with Becky Clinton picking on me, and scratching my dad’s truck while he taught me how to drive. She’s had immeasurable stress on her since she was born.” Mary led me through the corridors, and I was so lost in thought, I nearly missed our turn.
“That’s true. She’s always seemed so strong, it’s easy to forget she’s done all of this while being a kid,” I said truthfully. With Jules, her abilities and demeanor were so powerful that it wasn’t fair for me to assume nothing could hurt her.
“Remember that tonight,” Mary said quietly as we approached our suite’s door. Patty arrived behind us, heading to her room beside ours.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Parker,” she said, a glint of trouble in her face. I could read her expression a mile away. She was doing something she wasn’t supposed to.
“Patty,” I said, walking over to her side. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I’m heading in for the night,” she said quickly. Too quickly.
“Where you are coming from?” Mary asked from over my shoulder.
“I was in the library.”
“Where are your books?” I asked.
“Wait, are you suggesting I’m lying?” She puffed up, blowing air from her cheeks. “Jeez, if my parents aren’t bad enough, I didn’t think I’d have to explain myself to you two.”
“Patty, we’ve been asked to look after you, and you’re never around. You don’t come over for dinner, you’re always gone early in the morning. If there’s something you need to talk to us about, you can. Anything.” Mary’s voice was
low, and Patty’s expression softened.
“Okay. I’m sorry. I miss my parents and being here is weird, and Dean and Jules are always hanging out, and I don’t have any friends here. I’ll be happy to go home again,” she said.
I wasn’t sure if I bought the act or not, but I told her I understood.
“I’ll try to be around more. Can I join you for dinner tomorrow?” she asked, her friendly tone returning. This girl could turn it on in an instant.
“That would be perfect,” Mary told her, and just like that, it was over. Crisis averted, and Patty left, entering her room, leaving the two of us in the hallway.
“Do you buy it?” Mary asked in my ear as I opened our door.
Maggie jumped on my legs, rubbing her head on my calf before rolling over. “Jules, did you take her out?” I shouted down the hall.
“A while ago!” Jules called, and I set the cups on the ground.
“Come on, Maggie. Let’s go for a little walk.” I didn’t bother with a leash. There was nowhere for her to escape to. “I’ll be right back.” Maggie ran toward the space she used as her glorified bathroom. We entered it, and I smiled at the effort that was put into the space. The grass was fake, the floor with grates to drain the water out. Inside was a fake fire hydrant, a park bench, and a walking trail around the room. A lap wasn’t huge, only two hundred yards or so, but Maggie enjoyed it just the same. She did her thing, and a drone arrived to clean up after her, rinsing the spot away in seconds.
We did a few laps, and I only stopped when Maggie told me she’d had enough. She drank from a water dish near the exit, and we returned to the suite. When I saw my daughter and wife speaking in hushed tones, I knew something was wrong.
“Papa, it’s time to wake him.”
Sixteen
“You want to talk to him now? Why the change of heart?” Papa asked Jules. Mom had already passed her a coffee, and she held it firmly, gripping the cup with two hands. The warmth was comforting, but she didn’t trust herself to take a sip, to show how nervous she truly was.
“Have a seat,” she told them, motioning to the couch across from her chair. A table sat between them, and she was glad for the barrier, like having a physical object would keep her parents from being angry for keeping anything from them. It was time to come clean with everything she knew.
Her dad looked concerned but took a drink of his coffee, choosing not to speak yet. She appreciated it.
“I think we’ve discovered what I am,” she told them.
“You’re our daughter, that’s who you are. Not what.” Her mom frowned as she spoke.
“I know. But Regnig found something.” She pulled the tablet out and found the file with the drawings of the four Zan’ra she’d captured from the books in Regnig’s private collection. She held it out to her dad, who took the device, scrolling through the four images. His gaze lingered on the third picture, which was the boy with the blue eyes, before it settled on the last image, the one that was the spitting likeness of her.
“Is this…” His question went unasked.
“We think so. At least, it would be an awfully strange coincidence if there was another with dark curly hair and glowing green eyes.” Jules let out a nervous laugh, but neither of her parents joined her.
“What can you tell us about them?” Papa asked.
“Regnig agrees with Fontem on a few things. He believes they were created by these Deities, but he also thinks that their creators attempted to kill the race off. We assume they grew too strong, and these Deities feared what their designs were capable of,” Jules said.
“And these four?” Her mom flipped through the images again.
“Regnig thinks they were the last of the Zan’ra.” Jules saw something flicker in her father’s face, but he still stayed quiet.
Mary set the tablet down. “And what have you decided?”
“I think he’s right. I don’t know exactly how I took on this girl’s essence, but it has something to do with that crystal world you were on with the Iskios. She must have been hiding there, or had infused herself into it…”
“Like the Theos did with the portal crystals,” her dad finally said. “That could be it.”
Jules nodded, happy that her dad’s analytical mind was at work. “That makes sense. I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“Do you have any theories on the others?” he asked.
She swallowed hard, taking a drink of her beverage. Her throat was scratchy, and the warm liquid helped. “They went into hiding. Maybe there are others out there. These other two.” She pointed to the tablet on the coffee table.
“And this guy on our ship might have some answers, is that right?” Papa leaned back, his jaw muscles clenching.
“That’s the idea.”
“What if he’s this O’ri you’ve heard about? A malevolent being quick to hurt his own people?” Her dad had good points, and that was the sole reason Jules hadn’t spoken to him yet.
“I don’t think it’s him. I think…” She picked up the tablet, skipping to the one with the orange eyes. “This is O’ri.”
“What makes you say that?” her mother asked.
“I don’t know. Women’s intuition?” It was a lot more than that. Jules had started dreaming about the four drawings. They moved like an animation, fleeing the destruction of these Deities, splitting up with no other choice.
“When do you want to speak with him?” Papa crossed his arms over his chest, and she saw the age in his face, the gray in his beard. He looked tired, and she wanted to hug him, to tell him to forget the Zan’ra stuff, but she couldn’t stop it. Not once the can of worms had been tugged open like this.
“How about now?” she suggested.
She expected resistance, but Papa nodded, standing. He brushed his hands over his uniform pants and pointed to the door. “No time like the present.”
“Are you sure, Dean? It’s late, and…”
“Time’s different on a starship. Plus, the kid’s been frozen in time for countless years. I don’t think he cares when we unfreeze him.” Papa led the way. He turned to her mother at the doorway and leaned in, whispering something she couldn’t hear.
Jules glanced at her outfit: tights and an oversized sweater. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she wasn’t wearing any make-up, not that any of that should matter to her. What did she care what this young man thought of her appearance?
“You ready?” her dad asked.
“I guess so. Mom, are you coming?” Her mother was standing at the counter, Maggie settled at her feet.
“I’ll stay here with the dog, out of the way. I’ll have tea for when you return.”
Jules knew her dad had asked for them to go alone, but she only smiled at her mom, following Papa into the corridor.
They walked in silence, heading to Sector Three before entering the elevator. “Deck One,” Papa told the computer, and the doors slid shut, sealing them in. It lowered, and a few moments later, they were on the proper floor.
She felt calmer than she’d expected. The halls were more spacious here, the ship’s mechanical systems demanding a lot of square footage. They walked past the intricate system of pipes and machines before stopping at the far end of the open room where the doorway to the boy’s cell was.
Cell. That wasn’t a great term for it. He was basically locked in a room used for storage. Suma had told her it was meant to store some chemical they used to clean out the heating lines on the vessel, but for the sake of the freezing capsule, they’d moved the pails to another area.
“Where’s the guard?” Papa stalked around the floor, searching for someone on post. He came back empty-handed.
“No one in sight. I thought there was supposed to be a sentry here.”
“At least one,” her dad said. “Someone’s going to get an earful tomorrow.”
“Should we wait?” Jules asked, seeing the tension on her father’s face.
“No, but I’m not happy to see an order bei
ng disregarded like this.” He went to the keypad, and Jules watched him press the five-digit code. It was an easy one that she’d been forced to memorize when they first came to the starship.
She took the lead now, her dad slowly following behind. “I need you to tell me you have full control of your abilities,” he said, his eyes dark in the dimly lit room. Hers were the opposite, reflecting brightly in his pupils.
Instead of assuring him, she snapped her powers on, filling with a green energy like the opening of a dam. They rushed forward, tendrils crackling over her arms and legs, her hair sticking up like she’d been shocked with a surge of electricity. She floated near him, and he only stood there, with his arms crossed once again.
“Such a show-off,” he said with a grin, and she lowered, her sneakers landing softly on the white tile floor.
The glass container was the same one from the Collector’s ship, and they hadn’t once cut the power off. She moved to it now, the ceilings in the room twelve feet high, the walls twenty yards wide. The case took up half of that width, and she found the controls for the display beneath a placard on the glass.
“You’d better step away,” Jules told her dad, but apparently didn’t have to. He was already near the door, leaning against the wall.
She took a deep breath, and her finger hovered near the button to deactivate the boy’s freezing. He was encapsulated in time, but she was still concerned for their safety, assuming the being might be upset and surprised, as well as very powerful. Jules sent a barrier of her green energy over the glass case, sealing him behind it before she pressed the white illuminated button.
The boy was floating, and he lowered, his hair falling to his head, his arms dropping to his sides as his feet touched the display floor.
His piercing blue eyes scanned the room, but he didn’t move for a moment. “Weini bablii targashian.” His words were soft. They floated through the glass and into the translator she’d brought with them. It was clipped to her belt, and she glanced at her dad, who was watching the interaction with interest.
“Hi. I’m Jules Parker, and we found you aboard a ship, frozen in time.” Jules paused, but the words didn’t translate quite yet. She needed more time for the device to decipher his language.
The Survivors (Book 12): New Discovery Page 14
