by P. S. Power
Rather than bark at her for being stupid, which, to be fair, she was being and knew it, the weapons Instructor gave her a long and drawn out, blank stare. They stood like that, her with a towel in hand, him looking directly into her eyes, for a long time.
"Then hurry. You'll need a ship faster than this one, if you're getting back in time. Gerent was planning to set the device off if another attack came at all. It may already have happened. Be prepared for that. If it's the case, then going back to the planet is a death sentence for one of us. Even with a shield on. Timon made his new killing field well, if he's to be trusted. In this, I do. Even The Green Man says that few things in the universe can stop this particular magic in the time we're giving it."
Then he turned, walked to the wall where the door was supposed to be and made it appear. Ali was standing outside, her face locked into a blank expression. Waves of terror came off of her though, meaning someone had managed to eavesdrop.
Brilliant of her, but also a bit ill timed. Or perfectly timed, depending on who you were asking. Kolb got the idea at least, and made a face at her.
"So much for secret meetings. I trust you not to mention this to anyone else until we're actually at the new colony? It really is the best plan right now." Then, without waiting for her to answer, he walked away smoothly, his feet barely making a sound at all as he did. It was impressive, given his size.
Ali slammed into the room, near panic, and made the wall vanish again. Since, Tiera thought, that had worked so well before. Then she stalked over to Tiera, looking... Angry.
"You all knew that? Timon told me he could do it, and Tor said it would be all right, and... they lied to me, didn't they? Gerent too. They're all going to die, and no one told me..." She didn't cry, for some reason, but did manage some credible glaring. "He's my husband, Tiera. I should be with him." To die with him, was the underlying point, it was clear.
"Right." Tiera spread her hands, still nude, and triggered her clothing amulet, so that she was in student browns. "Well, you heard my plan, and if you think that I'm going to let you throw your life away for no reason, then you're an ever bigger ditz than everyone always says."
That got the other girl to look hurt for a second, and then shrug.
"What? You think I don't know what they all say? Easy Ali, who'll lick anything put in front of her? Slutty Baker. Frost brain. I've heard them all you know. Do you think that I care? I let people think I'm stupid, because it gives me an edge. I have sex with everyone that's willing, to make alliances. I lived on the streets of the Capital for two years, Tiera. Two years. I had to learn how to survive, and did. I won't leave my husband alone now though. When it looked like my father was going to find me, Tor, he married me. Me. Some girl that was too young and stupid for anyone to be willing to bother with. The King and Queen ordered him out of the marriage you know, after that. He told them no, because I was his wife. The King. Right to his face. He fought for me, and won. A boy, standing up to the most powerful people in the Kingdom, and not even blinking about it." She took a deep shuddering breath and leaned in, whispering, even if they were in space and not being all that loud. There were always listeners after all.
For a long time she just stood there and Tiera had an odd impression that the girl was going to kiss her for some reason. Then she did, if only on the cheek.
"Tiera, Tor..." She gasped and smiled then, "when we were in Afrak, to get married on Petra's ship, Tor had the Assassin's Guild kill my father. Just to protect me from him. It cost... Ten thousand golds. He also suffered for it, horribly. He knew he would, and did it anyway... So, I have to stand by him now, even if it means dying. I won't let him go alone." She looked ready to fight about it, but Tiera could see her point.
"Ali... I won't let you die doing this, but you can go with me to get them, or to make sure that Cordes doesn't win. I can't promise we can save him. But, I agree, you should be there, if it isn't too late. If it is... Then we can cry together, and try to go on."
That got her a hug and Alyssa Baker, her sister in-law, smiled. It was a dangerous thing. One that seemed to say she had other plans anyway. To die with her husband, if it came to that. Tiera... understood. Could she really tell Ali that her honor wasn't just as good and worthy as anyone else's?
They parted then, and if anyone saw them leave the washroom together, they weren't visible. She got right to work, making the new ships, taking a full day to set the original field, trying to work out ways to make it go faster. The key, she was sure, was in how the communications devices worked. That was hard to make big though. The trick was making a thing that was in two places at once, for an instant, then becoming one, in the right location. It would have to be done in steps, since she doubted that she'd even be able to find something as big as a planet if she made the bites too big. A tiny fraction of a degree off would put her hundreds of thousands of miles off course. That assumed she only screwed up by that small of a margin, too.
So it would take lots of little steps, no matter how it was made.
She also needed it to be armed. Well armed, and against a lot of different things. Old ships made of metal and plastic and glass foam, like what Blue used. New magical ones, and possibly other things she'd just never heard of. When she came up for air, looking around, everyone else was standing by, with their bags, ready to go.
Tiera didn't have to ask what that meant. They were there. On the surface already. She could feel the field of the place around her, like a cool hug. It was friendly and a lot nicer than she remembered.
Alphonse looked at her, as if amused by her silly antics.
"Some new magic wonder? Diaper rash cream, or magical fish fryers?" He looked happy to be there, but she shook her head and looked over at Smythe of Westend. Then at the others. Karina, Maris and Sheri. Her group, if an assigned one.
"No, war ships. We're going to be left here, as soon as things are unloaded. In a week, I'm taking a group back, to make sure the plan works. If..." She was about to make a big dramatic speech, but Sheri, of all people, interrupted.
"Good. I kind of figured that was the case. Why else bring everyone like this? Most of the new immortals are here already. Like a safety net, in case the others can't save Earth? I wish my family could have come." She looked sad, and Maris patted her shoulder, comfortingly.
Smythe gave her a strange look.
"I think I understand. So there's a plan in the works?"
The time for lies was done, wasn't it? They'd never been hers in the first place.
"Yes. Gerent Lairdgren has a device that will kill all the Ancients on the planet. Normal people will be left unharmed. If the Others attack again, which was what we heard was the plan, he's going to set it off. Which will mean that anyone with the right genes left there will simply die." She spread her hands and looked at the little sack of growing fields in her left hand, her case floating behind her. "If that hasn't happened already, then Alice is supposed to get our people off the planet. We're exiled, for ten years or so. The regular people should be able to come and go however, so, as long as we don't let those bastards kill the world, they'll be all right. Or as good as they can be with the world trying to break around them from the damage done already."
It was Karina that gasped, her eyes going wide.
"Alison." For a moment, Tiera didn't get that at all, but the Prince did.
"Crap. Right. Varley's little girl is an Ancient. If we'd known we'd have taken her too. We have to go back. Now. I'll talk to the Captain." He moved to do that, but Tiera shook her head.
"No. If this works," she hefted the little sack, making the green gems the ships were on tinkle a little, "we can beat this ship back by days, even if it takes me several more to make it. Really, the first thing to do is call home and make certain that people are alive and well. I haven't been trying, because most of the people I know are here."
That got people to scramble for communications devices and all hit different sigils. The first one to answer was the person that Smyth
e tried to contact.
"Ridley Dens, here. How may I be of service today?" Tiera didn't know who that was, but the others all looked at Smythe closely, so he was probably important.
"Ah! Very good, you're in. This is William Smythe. We just landed on the Moon, I believe. I was making certain that we could communicate with people there. I don't suppose you have anything to report?"
There was a pause, and finally the voice whispered, after having gotten someplace secret, Tiera hoped.
"The rebellion is picking up force again. A few that were on our side have gone over now. It was the attack on Callwood and Countess Baker being removed like that. No one feels secure now. Countess Printer has removed her support. She hasn't gone all in with the rebels, but that's the good news. There's talk of Cannor going too. King Richard had been scrambling to smooth things over there."
"Ah. I see. Very well then. Perhaps you could arrange to have the King use your device to contact me? I'll stand by for that. There's some news here as well, but for his ears only."
"Understood. I'll try to arrange that, sir."
The line was turned off, since Alphonse had Varley on the line and Gerent picked up his own unit as well. That was who she tried for, since they were family.
"Gerent speaking. Hello?"
"Gerent! It's Tiera." She didn't know what to say, but had to assume that the Others had a way to listen in by now.
He got that too though, it seemed. "Oh! So good to hear from you, are you all safely at the new colony then? I'm really looking forward to coming out too. Collette and I will be along in a few weeks. Ten days from now, actually. I'm trying to bring Tim along as well. He said that he'll be ready by then. In ten days. I'm bringing in a load of seeds, like you said. Can you have the facilities ready for us then? In ten days?" He didn't stress the word ten, but even Sheri was rolling her eyes a bit. She walked over and squealed a bit.
"Gerent! It's Sheri. I'm going to be staying here for a while, with Maris, so we can open a restaurant. Will you be leaving in ten days, or getting here then? Maris and I expect you and Collette to stay with us. Live with us, too, if you're going to stay? Please say yes. I miss you."
It was a bit closer than the two actually were, but Gerent handled it like a professional spy, actually understanding what was being asked.
"Wonderful, thank you Sheri, we'd love that. If all goes well, we'll be heading out in ten days. The rest of you will probably be back by then, right?" That part actually sounded like he meant it. Then, the students would be going back, wouldn't they?
Tiera smiled, so it would show in her voice.
"That's right, for some of us at least. Karen Derring might have to stay here, since the High Servants are a problem. We need to go now. Make sure you don't leave, before ten days is up, or you'll miss me. Make sure you have Timon around too, for that." Her voice was too dark and foreboding, she knew.
Gerent chuckled a bit, sounding nervous. "Naturally. I'll see that he doesn't get buried in his work."
Then they got off, and she listened to what Varley was saying which was... Light and playful.
"Oh, the baby is doing well. I wish that we all could have gone with you, but she's too young to travel yet, I think."
That might be a problem, Tiera knew, but Smythe stepped forward and sounded fatherly.
"I thought that too, before the trip, but it's been most pleasant. Certainly no more of a hardship than living in a magical house at all. Really, I think you should make an effort to at least go into orbit. Little Alison too. Especially her. It would be a good idea to get her used to the new way of things early, after all."
"Oh? I should take her, especially, into space?"
The man grimaced, since there was a lot of weight to the words.
"Oh, my yes. A good man to get with for that would be Gerent Lairdgren. He's planning a trip out here with a lady friend of his, Collette Coltress? She might also have some information. That's in ten days I believe. You could meet them in orbit, with little Alison."
"Well, that sounds like fun. Yes, I think I'll try to put that together. Gerent you say? Excellent. Should I get mother and father to come as well do you think? Or Raul?"
That got the man to stop dead, so Tiera pushed in.
"Hey Varley! Tiera here... That would be great, but you probably shouldn't take any of them away right now. We've heard some things, you know? Say... Have you met Ridley Dens, yet? He's Smythe's assistant. He sounds pretty cute..." She had no clue, but Alphonse laughed.
Loudly.
"That is so true. You should get to know him, sis. He's a very good friend of Trice's. The special kind? I can recommend him for company too."
There was a light chuckle, "all right, I'll see if I can meet up with him then. He's at the palace?"
That got them talking and Alphonse walked off, with Karina following. It was actually sort of normal sounding really. What she would have been doing if she had relatives on Earth, which she did. She hit the sigil for Tim, not expecting anything at all, but he answered after only a few seconds.
"Tim Baker." That was all he said, and he sounded like he was in a trance state. That might help, really, since it meant he might be paying extra close attention.
"Tiera here, Tim. I was just on with Gerent and he said that you and he would be leaving in ten days. Is that right?"
"Yes."
It was clear he knew what she was asking then. Otherwise he would have tried to get more information from her.
"Great. I was thinking of swinging by and picking you all up? I have a new type of ship to show off, or will by then. It isn't certain, of course." Which was true enough. The build felt strong so far, but it was complex on a level that she didn't really think she could explain, and be believed. Luckily she had a nearly perfect memory, or she couldn't have done the work at all.
"Oh? That sounds fun. Sure. Is Trice with you?" He sounded incredibly bland, but there was something that came across in his voice. It was so subtle she was probably imagining it.
"Not right now. I can probably rope her into the trip though, if she doesn't get busy here. It's so exciting. We need to go soon and look around. Maybe do some work here? I'm hoping to build a house before I leave. I think I like it here." That she realized, was just the truth. It felt right. Good.
"See you in, say, eight or nine days then? I'm in the Capital right now, but I'll be up at Lairdgren School then. It's early, but I wanted to chat up the Dean there and see if I can get in next year. After being kicked out of Printer like I was."
"I can meet you there then. Call it eight or nine days. I'm a girl so might want to stop and do some shopping first. That's the rule isn't it?"
She was teasing, and setting a trap for him to walk into. He didn't though. Not at all.
"Love ya, Tiera. Tell everyone else that too?"
"Sure, but, you know, you have a communications device. I'm surprised they haven't been communicating with you yet. We're on the Moon! Can you believe that?"
He laughed, said that he'd call the rest of the family and then got off the line. Then they all moved out, heading to the hangar they came into, which was where they were supposed to be getting off at anyway. Jennifer Quigley was there, seeing to the offloading of goods already, and most of the fighters section was helping with that.
To greet them was a single High Servant, who was a woman that seemed to be a noble, which wasn't a shock, but also humble, which was. She bowed to everyone, and let her fingers intertwine in front of her.
"We weren't told that people were coming. How wonderful. We don't really have any facilities ready yet, on the surface." She looked embarrassed by that, but Tiera could see it. They'd need air and water to fill the spaces, after all. She could see to that, so walked over and bowed to the woman, half way. A bow between equals. The woman returned it, happily enough.
"Saxon Breen. High Servant, and Conserina First, Breen. At least until my brother has a child."
"Tiera Baker. Bearer of gifts. I have devices
for you. We can make air, water, and gravity inside the dwellings. We also have air purifying devices and better food units. Really, all we need are some air tight spaces and we're good here. Do you have everything ready?"
That got a wince that was vastly ashamed, for some reason.
"No." She took a deep breath, as Sara Debri came over, but went on, bravely enough. "That is, we have a few spaces finished, but most of the others, well, when we got here, there were problems and most won't do much at all. They just stay on the ship and..."
Sara winced back. "Ouch. Well, I have some units from Tor, that can make air tight underground dwellings, so we can make those pretty quickly. We should be able to have space for a few thousand inside a few weeks, that way." She dug into her bag, and got one out, then gestured to her little brother, who walked over and bowed to the High Servant, very professionally. He didn't even seem smarmy about it or offer to have sex with her in his first six words. It was impressive for him.
"Kurt Debri, of the Debri Merchant House. I'm setting up shop here. It sounds like we should go and set up some spaces then? I'm not certain how to do that, but if Master Tor did the work, it will be solid. He's the best you know." That bit had merchant written all over it. Selling the idea already and everything.
Tiera liked the idea though, since otherwise things might get a bit uncomfortable, fast.
"Saxon... may I call you that?" She waited, even as Karen started to storm over. They'd just been seen, so it would take her and Smythe a bit to get there. Ten seconds or more even.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Tiera, please. Now, would you be willing to go and get the other High Servants that are willing to work at all? You might drop that your High Commander has come, and she is not pleased with the reports. In fact, I heard a rumor that anyone not working from now on will be left outside, without a shield on. That might make it hard to breathe. The rest of us will go and start making those underground spaces."
