by Amy DuBoff
One of the minds came forward from the deafening din. “Who are you?”
“Arron Haersen. I was from the TSS. I have been working for Colonel Tek.”
The mind was silent for a minute before it returned. “Stay. We will come for you.”
Haersen pulled back into himself. He panted from the exertion and wiped sweat from his brow. There had been so many of them. All of that power… He wanted to be a part of it.
In the distance, the sky erupted in flame as shots rained down through the atmosphere. The bombardment of the world had begun.
Nervously, Haersen waited in the field, unsure when, or if, the Bakzen would actually come to retrieve him. The horizon glowed red with the flames of burning cities. A faint scent of smoke wafted by on the breeze.
Twenty minutes passed with no further contact. Then, a small shuttle appeared in the sky above.
The design was aerodynamic and practical for atmospheric entry, but the aesthetic was foreign to his eye—dark and ragged. The shuttle slowed as it approached him and landed fifteen meters away. A hatch opened in the side of the craft, and a figure with rough, orange-tinted skin wearing a beige flight suit emerged from the doorway. The muscular soldier stared at Haersen. “Come here.”
Haersen jogged over. “Thank you for coming,” he said aloud as he approached.
The soldier surveyed him with what appeared to be a mixture of confusion and disgust, his glowing red eyes narrowed and cold. “We take you to Tek. He wants to see you.”
Haersen bowed his head with thanks and ducked into the shuttle. He was directed to a seat next to the door and strapped in.
The soldier who had greeted him took a seat at the controls next to another identical soldier, the only other occupant in the shuttle. As soon as Haersen was seated, they lifted the shuttle into the air and took a steep course back into space. Haersen gripped the edge of his seat as the shuttle shuddered on its way through the atmosphere. His stomach was knotted with nerves and excitement—for so long he had waited to be welcomed into the folds of the Bakzen. He could hardly believe it was finally happening.
Several minutes passed in the stillness of space before the shuttle entered the hanger of a substantial warship in orbit of the planet. The pilots powered down the shuttle and came to retrieve Tek.
“We take you to Commander now,” the original soldier stated.
Haersen nodded and followed the two Bakzen out of the hanger. They wove through a series of unadorned hallways and took a lift upward. Outside the lift, they walked a short distance down the hall, and then passed through a door into the Command Center.
Haersen was immediately struck by an awe-inspiring panoramic view surrounding the room, as though he had stepped into open space. Beneath his feet, the scarred planet still smoldered from the assault, and Bakzen ships were beginning to descend to the surface to commence their raid.
“So you are responsible for delivering this world?”
Haersen looked up to see who had asked the question. A decorated Bakzen officer stepped forward, likely the ship’s commander.
“Yes, sir. I hope it is a worthy gift,” Haersen replied.
The commander nodded, thoughtful. “I alerted General Tek that you reached out to us. He agreed to meet with you.”
So Tek had received a promotion. Not surprising, given the vacancy in the command ranks after Carzen’s untimely death. “I look forward to it.”
“We must finish our business here, of course,” the commander continued, clasping his hands behind his back. “You will be confined to the brig until we return to our homeworld.”
The accommodations couldn’t possibly be worse than most of the places he had spent the last year, Haersen reflected. He nodded his consent. “I patiently await further instruction.”
The commander dismissed Haersen with a wave of his hand and returned his attention to the planetary invasion unfolding below.
As an escort led him away, Haersen was filled with the warm glow of success. He had done it at last—he was with the Bakzen. He was finally going home.
CHAPTER 21
Saera blocked out the hum of energy encroaching on her consciousness. Her roommates were home from their social hour. The tranquility of her alone time was over.
In the month since her Awakening, she had learned to control the intrusions. None of the others in her training group had experienced any emergence of their abilities, so they didn’t bother to keep their minds guarded, despite the urging of their instructors. Beyond it being rude to listen in to private thoughts, Saera didn’t like what she heard. Whenever one of the other students noticed she was watching, they would pretend like everything was fine, but their minds revealed otherwise. They were cautious of her. She had changed, and they were still the same.
She knew she was different. She was bonded to someone who was about to be an Agent—an elite Agent with the kind of power no one could predict. Their connection had changed her. She could feel it. Other Trainees were looking at her differently, even though they didn’t know why. The Agents seemed to recognize her transformation more readily, but most seemed to brush it off as impossible. Only a select few close to the Sietinens knew the truth.
“What are you doing here?” Elise asked. “Don’t you have those evening practice sessions with your secret tutor anymore?”
Saera didn’t look up from her tablet. “We’re taking a break.”
“I think she means they broke up,” Caryn interjected as she entered, catching the end of the question.
They can think whatever they want. She gave Caryn a coy grin. “I’m top ranked, with or without a tutor.”
Leila groaned with the statement as she sat down on her bed. “Thanks for the reminder.” She had been unable to break into the Top Ten, despite her best efforts.
“Wouldn’t you rather have one of us be at the top than none?” Saera asked her.
“Well yeah,” Leila replied. “But I still wish it were me,” Saera heard the thoughts echo in her mind.
“We’re a team. If one succeeds, we all do,” Saera said.
“Do you really believe that?” Caryn asked.
Saera nodded. “We need to work together if we want to make it through the next couple of months. Help me and I’ll help you.”
“Want to go over my navigation homework with me?” Nadeen asked.
Saera smiled. “Gladly.”
“I’ll sit in, too,” Caryn said, grabbing her tablet off the wall by her bed.
Elise also grabbed her tablet.
“You in, Leila?” Saera asked.
“No thanks,” Leila replied and put in her headphones.
The other girls looked to Saera for guidance. Now who’s the leader?
* * *
The sky was dark and a chill filled the air by the time Wil and his companions could see the glow of lights on the horizon.
Rod and Daela’s jet skis sputtered on the final approach to the North Seafarers village, running on the last of their crude fuel. The extra energy needed to tow the sailboat had pushed the crafts to their limits.
The village was easily six times the size of Marlon’s, and the structures of the town looked to be in better repair. Some buildings rose two or three stories above the water, and a five-story watchtower stood in the center of the community. All of the lights had a slight flicker from the burning of natural fuels—a strange contrast to the electric lights Wil had known his whole life.
Rod and Daela towed the sailboat to the end of a rusty dock extending from the outer town walls. A group of men carrying spears were running up to the dock to meet them.
“Who’s this?” one of the men called out from the dock.
“They’re from one of the southern villages,” Rod replied. “They’re here to talk about Makaris. Assemble the council.”
“It’s late. Everyone is already in bed for the night,” the man protested.
“Then wake them,” Rod instructed. “We can’t invite strangers here overnight without the c
ouncil’s blessing.”
The man sighed and ran off to the main gate.
Rod leaped from his jet ski and tethered it to the dock. “Wait here. I’ll talk to the others.” He ran off after the guard.
Daela helped Tiro secure the sailboat to the dock and then followed her brother’s path to the village without a word.
“Do your people ever come here?” Wil asked Petre quietly, watching the guards on the dock with caution.
Petre shook his head slowly. “It’s been at least a decade since there was any peaceful meeting. These days, we only see the Northern Seafarers on a raid. The last time we crossed paths, they dragged four women away from our village”
So some of the information in my mission brief was accurate, Wil realized. And now we’ve essentially just knocked on the enemy’s front door. “At least Rod seems to be on our side.”
“Well, they’ll either let us in, or they’ll kill us,” Tiro interjected.
Wil’s heart leaped. “You never said that before!”
“They won’t kill us,” Petre assured. “At least, I doubt it.”
What the fok have I gotten myself into? Wil took a deep breath and stood poised to act. The mission parameters for his internship banned him from using telekinesis, but there was a definite exception if his safety was on the line.
Ten minutes of uncomfortable silence passed as they waited for the other guards to return and let them into the city. The four men on the dock watched the sailboat vigilantly, their spears at the ready.
Wil shifted on his feet as they waited, anxious to know if their arrival would be welcomed.
The scuffle of footsteps sounded behind the main gate. A group of a dozen men with spears stomped through, with four carrying oil lanterns.
A middle-aged man strode at the front of the group. “Where are the others?” he demanded.
What others? Wil stood his ground.
“It is only us,” Petre replied.
“Lies! You prepare to attack us,” the man accused.
Rod came running up the dock from the village. “Ben, they’re on their own, I told you!”
“How do you know? And you led them straight here!” Ben shot back.
“That one is with the TSS,” Rod said, pointing to Wil.
Wil removed his tinted glasses. “We’re here to make peace. Please, let us address the council.”
Ben shook his head. “The central worlds abandoned us long ago.”
“You were neglected, but not forgotten,” Wil said, restoring his tinted glasses.
“We don’t want your kind here,” Ben sneered.
“Should I go too, then?” came the voice of an elderly woman from behind the guards. The guards parted and she stepped through, a cane supporting her weight.
Wil hadn’t noticed her approach, but as soon as he saw her, he felt a subtle hum of energy radiating from her and her eyes had a subtle inner light. In another life, she could have trained as an Agent.
“Let me have a look at you,” the woman said, shuffling to the edge of the dock. She looked over all the passengers on the sailboat, but lingered on Wil.
Wil felt her assessing his mind, a tingle passing through him as she peeled back the layers. Her technique was rudimentary, but she had a natural aptitude. He let her dig, but he kept his inner mind locked. To think what she could have become were there different feelings toward people like us.
After three minutes of probing, the woman stepped back and leaned on her cane. “They do speak the truth.”
Ben’s mouth twitched, his eyes narrow. “Are you sure, Frea?”
Frea raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever known me to be wrong?”
Ben looked down, and the guards lowered their spears.
“Gather the rest of the Council,” Frea instructed. “Please, come.” She beckoned to Wil and his companions.
Wil hesitated, unsure about whether he should leave his travel bag and handheld unattended on the boat. He hadn’t yet checked in for the day. It’ll look suspicious if I go to grab anything now. He decided to leave the bag and followed Petre onto the dock. Mila and Tiro followed close behind.
The guards led the group toward the main gate into the village. The rusted metal walls and gates rose three meters above the waterline, cobbled together from scraps of what looked to be former ship hulls. The walkways were all metal grating of a tight mesh.
Wil felt wobbly on the semi-stable ground after a month at sea on a small boat. After getting his footing, he adjusted his stride to walk abreast with Frea. “You’re a telepath,” he said to her.
“To these people, I am an Intuitive,” she replied, looking straight ahead.
“You have their respect?”
“They appreciate my ability. But you know how others always fear what they can never fully understand.”
Wil nodded. “I do.”
“Your abilities are unique. I’ve never felt anything like it,” Frea stated, still keeping her gaze on the path ahead.
“It’s always set me apart.”
“Others will exploit your power, if you let them.”
It’s a little late for those warnings. “I have a role to fulfill that I can’t avoid.”
The hint of a smile touched Frea’s lips. “Your destination may be set, but you can always choose how you approach the journey there.”
The group passed through an open plaza inside the main gate and turned toward a two-story building adjacent to an interior canal of ocean below. Large double doors opened into the structure, with light from oil lamps pouring into the plaza. They passed through a foyer and went down a short hall.
Frea stepped to the front of the group and led the way into the council chambers. She shuffled across the room and took a seat at the end of a broad table topped in a red cloth. Four men occupied the other seats behind the table.
Two guards remained on either side of the door, and the others departed when the elderly man at the center of the table waved his hand.
Wil bowed to the members of the village council. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with us. I apologize for our late arrival.”
The five council members looked him over with suspicion. “Who are you to speak for this group?” the man at the center asked.
“I’m Wil Sights and I’ve been assigned to resolve the conflict on Orino as part of my pre-graduation internship with the TSS.”
“The TSS? Why would the TSS get involved?” the man at the end of the table asked.
“My council requested the assistance,” Petre cut in. “We’ve been at odds for too long. Stealing from each other will get us nowhere. Let us go to the source and make sure that Makaris won’t abuse us any longer.”
“We’re listening,” Frea said.
Wil stepped back and let Petre take the lead. After all, it was a fight for his village; Wil was only the facilitator for the discussion. The members of the council listened to Petre’s prepared statement for unification and nodded thoughtfully when he finished.
“You suggest a bold action,” the center councilman said. “But it is something we’ve been considering for a while. Still, bringing together all of the villages will take time.”
“And with your resources, that can be accomplished so much faster,” Petre urged. “Please, join us.”
The old man nodded. “Let us deliberate.”
Wil and the others were directed into the hall. Tired and hungry after their long journey, they stood in silence waiting.
After ten minutes, the door opened and they were permitted back into the council chamber.
“We will send fifteen people to assist you,” Frea announced.
Wil smiled with relief and gratitude. Next to him, Mila and Tiro clasped their hands, and Petre bowed his head.
“You have our heartfelt thanks,” Petre said.
“We will send five pairs of two to recruit from the other villages,” Frea continued. “Five others will accompany you now on a sail ship, including Hal from our council.” She acknowledge
d the middle-aged man to the right of the center councilman. “The Makaris outpost is on the opposite side of the world. It will take you months to travel there.”
We could do it in minutes with the technology used anywhere else. “Then let us pick the date for us to meet with the other recruits,” Wil said. “We will make the preparations.”
“What about meeting at the Tower of Aestra?” Petre suggested.
“A suitable location,” the center councilman agreed. “And the time?”
“The winter solstice,” Petre stated.
Isn’t that over four months from now? Wil groaned inwardly but kept his face neutral. Saera will still be waiting for me. It’s okay.
“The winter solstice at the Tower of Aestra,” the center councilman agreed. “We will gather the other northern villages. You will need to recruit from the south along the way.”
“Thank you.” Wil bowed to the council with his companions.
“We will refresh your supplies in the morning,” Frea said as she rose from her seat. “But now, it is late and we must get back to bed.”
After some parting pleasantries, Wil made his way back to the sailboat with Petre, Tiro and Mila. “What is the Tower of Aestra? Some sort of castle?” he asked them.
Petre grinned. “It’s a big rock. But when most of the world is water, any rock may as well be a castle.”
* * *
Four Bakzen soldiers escorted Haersen down the bleak hall of their ship. It had been nearly a day since he’d been retrieved from Grolen and he was anxious to finally have his meeting with Tek.
Though Haersen had been in communication with the Bakzen for nearly two decades, ever since he was first approached during his internship, he had only had a face-to-face meeting with a commander once before. His stomach knotted with anticipation. He could feel the unrestricted power of the menial soldiers around him—a fraction of their leader’s abilities. But just that small taste was liberating for Haersen after the years spent in subspace, shielded from his greatest abilities.
They passed through several corridors that took them deep into the Bakzen command compound. It was rough and plain compared to everything found within the realm of the TSS, and it came as a refreshing change.
