Time of Treason

by Susan M. MacDonald

  “Who are these Others?”

  “Pan-dimensional bad asses with no sense of humour,” Riley replied. “The main one we dealt with was called Rhozan. A seriously scary dude who can possess people like that.” She snapped her fingers. “He’s out for the usual world domination and destruction. Alec kicked his metaphorical butt.”

  “Cool,” Kerry said. “Who’s Alec?”

  Riley looked down at her shoes and scuffed the toe along the metallic floor. “Just this guy who was travelling with me and Darius.”

  “The one who’s crazy about you but you don’t feel the same way?”

  Riley pulled a face. Someday she was going to have to learn not to blush. “No.”

  “So how’d Alec do it? Kick Rhozan’s butt, I mean.”

  “That’s the thing,” Riley sighed. “We don’t know how he did it. He doesn’t know how he did it. Alec just…,” Riley floundered for a moment, “he just, I mean he’s, like, I don’t know. Super powerful with this Tyon power stuff. Using the orb. He can do it better than anyone.”

  “Better than Blondie?”

  “She’s trained. Alec isn’t. But yeah, Darius figures that Alec is the strongest Potential ever. Stronger than him, and Darius was the strongest the Collective had ever found.”

  “Which makes him dangerous to someone, right?”

  From stunned to super acute, Kerry made some pretty astounding leaps and was remarkably dead-on where he landed. “Yep, exactly. So right now, Alec is hidden where hopefully no one can find him.”

  “Do you know where he is?” Kerry leaned up against the wall. He immediately backed away and gave it an odd sideways look.

  “Nope. No one does. That’s the point. Oh, and the metal is alive.”

  Kerry grimaced. “Really?”

  Before Riley could answer, a familiar voice spoke loudly beside them. “You are prisoners of the Intergalactic Council. Prepare to transfer.”

  30

  Riley whirled around and stopped the instant the Thtka was in her sight. With a strangled gasp she leapt away from the guard’s outstretched arm. No way would that creepy grey skin touch her again. She fell backwards into Kerry, who caught and steadied her.

  The Thtka’s raised arm pointed to the side of the chamber. Riley stole a glance in the direction indicated and ruefully noted the appearance of a doorway. At the same instant, the Councilor’s voice echoed through the room.

  “Exit the holding station and follow.”

  The Thtka turned and headed to the doorway without turning its head to see if they followed. Riley gave Kerry a sharp glance. He shrugged his shoulders and gave her a slight nudge.

  “Be ready,” she whispered to him. He squeezed her shoulder slightly in response.

  The door didn’t open as usual but rather pulled upwards into the wall above it, as the Thtka approached. The alien passed through and turned left. The doorway was too narrow for them to walk through at the same time. Riley went first, her orb gripped tightly in her right hand, her left clasping Kerry’s. Heaven only knew what they might find on the other side of the door and she didn’t want to take the chance of being separated. The hallway beyond the door stretched out into what seemed like infinity. Made of the Tyon brown metal, it ran both right and left in a straight line. Riley couldn’t see any doorways or occupants. The thought of running as fast as she could in the opposite direction crossed her mind but she quickly discounted it as a reasonable option. The Thtka had very long legs and would likely be able to overtake both of them, even if they had a head start. The Councilor had already sanctioned violence against them and Riley fully expected an attempt at escape would only result in more bruises.

  “Where do you think he’s taking us?” Kerry leaned over and said quietly, his eyes never leaving the back of the Thtka’s swathed head, as they walked side by side after the alien guard.

  “No idea,” Riley muttered back. That wasn’t entirely true, though. She did have an idea what was coming next and it was highly doubtful it was going to be something good. While they walked, her mind raced ahead. What could the Council want with both of them? She was a Potential and therefore of some use, if only for the latent Tyon power they might exploit. But Kerry didn’t have the gift, at least as far as she knew, and her imagination was working overtime considering what might be in store for him. Kerry didn’t seem to be overly worried though. She was still holding his hand and his emotions were overwhelming curiosity and excitement.

  The corridor echoed with the sounds of their footsteps. Otherwise it was very quiet and not a little creepy. The dim lighting didn’t help the ambiance either. After what seemed to be an inordinately long time, but in reality was probably only minutes, the corridor abruptly turned to the left and stopped in what seemed like a dead end. The Thtka stood still, facing the wall. Riley and Kerry stopped as well, keeping a healthy distance between themselves and the guard.

  They didn’t have long to wait. Another door appeared in the wall and slid silently upwards. A blinding white light from beyond the doorway flooded the hall and both Riley and Kerry flung a hand over their eyes and turned away.

  “Enter,” boomed the Councilor’s voice.

  Riley couldn’t open her eyes to see where she was going. The brightness was far too painful. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she thrust an arm out in front of her and took a tentative step. Kerry must have done the same. His arm lightly smacked hers as he moved forward. She took another step. Suddenly her wrist was gripped by a fleshy vice and she was yanked unceremoniously forward with enough force that she lost her balance.

  “Hey,” she yelled. “Let go.”

  “Leave her alone,” Kerry shouted from her left side.

  The light dimmed around them and Riley was able to drop her hand from her eyes. She had to blink several times before she was able to see clearly. They were in a much smaller room than the holding cell. Riley could have walked from one side to the other in ten steps or less. The ceiling, however, was so far away she couldn’t see it. There were two hexagonal light panels hanging in the air above them providing the light. The Thtka was gone. In its place, the Councilor stood quietly less than an arm’s length away.

  It was a holographic projection. It had to be. Riley squinted at the Councilor. He was definitely see-through. She quickly scanned the room but there was no sign where the projection was coming from. She heard Kerry’s sharp intake of breath.

  “Pay attention.” It was the Councilor’s voice but the sound emanated from all around them. The holograph’s mouth didn’t move, which was distinctly odd.

  Riley exchanged a look with Kerry but said nothing.

  “You will be transferred to the interstellar craft in one hour. You will be interrogated later. There is no escape from this facility. Food, water, and cleansing units will be available once transfer is complete. Do not injure yourselves or each other.” With that he disappeared.

  “Great. We’re totally screwed,” Riley muttered. “Guess your wish is coming true.”

  “What wish?” Kerry was frowning. He’d walked over to the spot where the projection had manifest and was waving his hand through the now vacant air with a look of awe.

  “The let’s-go-on-a-spaceship wish.”

  “Holy cow,” Kerry breathed.

  “That’s an understatement.”

  “No, I mean you can understand him. That’s totally cool.”

  The penny dropped. “He was speaking a different language?” Riley breathed. Her hand rose unbidden to the back of her head and she touched the skin tenderly. It still hurt. “Whoa, they gave me one.”

  “Who gave you what?” Kerry asked.

  “The translator.” Riley grinned. “They gave Alec one, when he was at Home Base, and I was like, totally jealous, but now they’ve given one to me, which is way better.”

  “But I didn’t get one?”

  “They only give them to Potentials. People like Alec and me,” she said when the scowl crossed his face. “People with an inborn ability
to use an orb. It’s rare.” She wasn’t going to say anything about the Tyons interfering with human genetics in order to breed the trait into the population. “They must mean to keep me alive. At least for a while, otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered.”

  “I must be expendable then,” Kerry said.

  Riley swallowed. Another one of Kerry’s leaps of logic and likely true. “I’ll do my best to keep you breathing. Don’t worry. They want me for something. I’ll just tell them you have it too.”

  “Sure, great.” Kerry was giving the room an appraising look as if he was now deeply interested. “So we’re not on a ship right now.” He said it slowly as if thinking out loud. “So that means we’re in a building. And that means we can leave it.”

  “I thought you were keen on seeing the universe?” said Riley.

  “Honoured guest, sign me up. Likely for the chop, uh uh.” Kerry smiled. “That orb of yours. Blondie used it to beam your friend Darius and herself away. So can’t we use it too? For the same thing?”

  Riley bit the inside of her lip. “Technically, yes. But there’s a catch.”

  “Thought there might be.”

  “Yeah, well, you have to be really strong to move people around with one of these things. I can steer but I don’t have enough push.”

  “I’ll help,” Kerry offered. “You just tell me what to do and I’ll do it. I’m a fast learner.”

  “I wish it was that simple,” Riley said. “You aren’t a Potential. You don’t have the right power. It isn’t physical.”

  “I’m smart. Got a four-point-oh average.”

  “It isn’t brains either,” Riley sighed. “It’s something else, something I don’t think you have and that I can’t test you for. Sorry.”

  “Can you get us out by yourself?”

  Riley shook her head. “Even if I had the strength, they’re probably blocking me. But the clincher is that I don’t think orbs can transport people without the Tyon gene.”

  “The thing that gives you the power. “ She nodded.

  “So, even if you could get out, you’d leave me behind.”

  “I might.”

  “I’m not in favour of that.”

  “For what it’s worth, neither am I.”

  “Guess you’re stuck with me.”

  “Guess I am.”

  They both smiled.

  “Then, if we can’t use that orb of yours to beam out of here, we’re back to unlocking the door and making a dash for it.” Kerry crossed the short space to the wall where the door had been and began to run his fingertips over the smooth metal. Riley watched him shudder and couldn’t suppress one herself. Something about that metal gave her the heebie-jeebies.

  “Let me try,” Riley offered as she came to stand beside him. She pulled out her orb and clasping it tightly waved it in the general direction of the door. Nothing happened. Riley took a deep breath and focused her will. Open.

  Still nothing.

  Kerry made a fist and hit the wall. His hand bounced off with a dull clang and he grabbed his hand to nurse it as he swore underneath his breath. Riley rolled her eyes. A second later the door seams appeared and the door itself slid upwards. Riley was too shocked to speak. She peered out into the hallway. It was completely empty.

  “Did I do that?” Kerry asked as he leaned over her shoulder.

  “I dunno,” Riley murmured. This was either a trap or Kerry’s blow had released some inner mechanism. Either way, she wasn’t going to waste the possible chance. She pocketed her orb. “C’mon.”

  She ran out of the room. Kerry dashed immediately on her heels. They headed down the long corridor as fast as they could. Hearts pounding, they headed for the far end. No alarm bells rang. The overhead lighting didn’t change. No one appeared. Riley kept an eye out for other doors. Nothing.

  Ahead of her, Kerry’s feet thudded on the metallic floor.

  Several minutes later she was starting to get a bit short of breath. But the urgency of escaping their captors forced her to ignore it. Kerry glanced behind them. He waved her onwards. It was no use. Riley grasped his arm and pulled him to a halt. The corridor ahead seemed just as long as it had when they’d started. She rubbed her forehead. Were they actually going anywhere?

  “What?” he asked.

  “Are we actually covering any distance or is this an optical illusion?” she panted. She looked behind her then forward. “I mean, I know we’re running somewhere, but I don’t get the feeling we’ve actually travelled.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Kerry frowned. “We’ve run at least five kilometers. I do that daily and I know how it feels.”

  “Yeah, but—” Riley stopped. It sounded ridiculous to say it out loud. “Guess you’re right. Keep going.”

  They both began to run again. Several minutes passed. A stitch started in her side and refused to work itself out. The weird feeling someone was yanking her chain continued and grew in strength. Finally she called a halt again.

  “What now?” Kerry complained as he looked around anxiously. “We’re not going to get out of here if you keep stopping.”

  “I know,” Riley gasped as she rubbed her side angrily. “It’s just that this corridor is far too long. It doesn’t go anywhere.”

  “Sure it does,” Kerry argued. “We’ve covered about twice my daily run.”

  “Kerry, I just have a strange feeling about this.” Riley shivered. “I can’t explain it.” She pulled out her orb and wrapped her fingers tightly around it. The normal soothing sensation instantly travelled up her arm but seemed to stop at her shoulders. “This doesn’t feel right.”

  “Figure it out while we get out of here,” Kerry demanded. He was flushed from the exercise and a frown was furrowing between his brows. “This might be our only chance.”

  “I think it’s some kind of game they’re playing with us,” Riley said slowly. “It’s all too easy. The door unlocking when you hit it. No guards on duty in the hall. No one shouting, ‘Stop, come back.’ It’s weird.”

  “Well done,” said a voice from behind them.

  They whirled around. The Councilor stood about a meter away. He was fully solid this time and flanked by two Thtka’s, one on either side. The guards moved quickly. Before Riley could shout a warning, the Thtka’s had lunged forward and grabbed Kerry by his arms, pulling them behind his back so sharply he cried out in pain.

  “Hey,” she shouted. She grabbed a hold of the Thtka closest to her and tried to pull his long grey fingers away from Kerry’s wrist but it was next to impossible.

  “My guards are implacable,” the Councilor said. “They cannot be reasoned with. Desist your efforts lest you be injured.”

  Riley slowly let her hands release the Thtka’s arm and took a step backward.

  “Who trained you to use the orb?” the Councilor asked.

  “Why’d you want to know?” Riley countered cautiously.

  “He is to be congratulated,” the Councilor replied. “You have acquired significant skills. Despite my compatriots assurance you are useless, I believe I can use you.”

  Riley bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from answering. Being used by the Councilor did not sound like a great way to pass her time.

  “Just what is it you want from us?” she asked.

  The Councilor gave a slight incline of his head. “You do not question the Council.” His hand gave an imperious wave. Instantly the Thtka’s went into overdrive. Riley saw the blow to Kerry’s head out of the corner of her eye. There was no time to shout.

  Kerry dropped instantly to the ground like a marionette whose strings had been cut. She cried out and whirled away but the Thktas were too fast for her. Both her arms were grabbed and pulled back into painful submission. A grey hand slapped over her mouth immediately cutting off her shout of rage. She struggled but the pain in her shoulders blossomed into agony and she had no choice but to desist.

  The Councilor stepped closer, coming so close she could see each individual whisker in his c
hin and the cluster of crinkles around his eyes. She raised her eyes to his and gasped in shock. The slits of his pupils were vertical.

  “The Council controls the galaxy, Terran female,” he said, more terrifying for his lack of emotion than for any villainous position he might express. “You have no rights, no argument, and no resistance.”

  Riley jerked her face away from the hand. She managed to get the words out. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

  The Councilor cocked his head like a bird interested in the worm but not quite ready to pounce. “You have no choice.”

  “I have free will,” Riley sputtered. “You can’t make me.”

  The Councilor leaned back on his heels. He clasped his hands behind his back and an expression of comprehension crossed his face. “The implant inside your head translates so that you understand me,” he said. “Consider that a gift. However, it provides several other functions. It allows us access to your emotions. It issues our commands. And it provides punishment should you refuse to obey us.”

  31

  Alec wandered randomly down yet another corridor, lost in his increasingly worried thoughts. He knew he didn’t have any choice; he couldn’t see any option other than the one he’d chosen. He felt distinctly uncomfortable and why, exactly, he couldn’t decipher. The actual argument between Logan and Kholar was now a foggy memory. Obviously he’d been more upset at the time than he’d thought. His brain was usually a lot sharper than this. Two voices cut through his worries, abruptly focusing his attention.

  “If he dies, the plan is finished.”

  Alec stopped. His feet had unconsciously brought him to one of the places in the base that was familiar: the medical facility. The voice was familiar too. He peered around the edge of the divider wall that separated the corridor from where the beds were located. Martje, the chief medic, was standing next to one of the raised medical beds and waving a large reddish lump of glistening crystal over a sheet covered figure. Alec could only see the patient’s pale bare feet. On the other side of the bed, Anna stood with her arms crossed and an expression of cold detachment etched across her features.