by Gun Brooke
“Hey, sis. You sound so tired. We’ll talk more when we get to the hospital, all right?”
“All right. Talk to you soon.” They would figure it out. That’s what Caya always used to say when she was younger. And somehow they always had. In retrospect, she understood some of the reasons for their joint intuition, but back then they were only trying to keep Caya’s changer status a secret. Now, it wasn’t hard to see how their close-knit relationship had been aided by their different psychic abilities.
Briar closed her eyes, one hand still cupped around Adina’s cheek. She was just going to rest for a little while. Just a moment.
*
Adina heard the insistent voice before her senses registered anything else. Her immediate reaction was to hide. She couldn’t possibly deal with her mother when her head pounded and her entire left side was in agony.
“I can’t believe it’s you again. Did they actually let you out of the brig, where I must say I agree that you belong, to accost my daughter whenever she’s vulnerable? You have interfered with the Vantressas one time too many, girl, and this time you’ve gone too far. I’m calling security right this instant!”
“Madam Vantressa.” Briar’s low, soothing voice had a certain bite to it, but she still sounded collected. “Security is already in place, as your daughter was the victim of an explosive device while she was trying to rescue the president’s spouse. She’s tremendously brave, which I’m sure you’re well aware of.”
“She’s a soldier in the fleet. Of course she’s brave. That’s what they pay her to be.” Shabina huffed. “Now, let me pass.”
“No. When the trauma neurologist clears her, you may enter. Not before.”
“Security! Security! Arrest this woman for trespassing in my daughter’s room. I’m her mother, and this person is not next-of-kin by any stretch of the imagination.”
“Yes, she is,” Adina said, her throat hurting with each syllable. “Briar?”
“Oh, Creator…” Briar sobbed once and hurried toward the bed.
Adina opened her eyes into minimal slits. The light stung, but she wanted to see Briar so badly. “Briar?”
“Here. I’m here.” Briar came fully into view and a gentle hand cupped her cheek. “You’re awake. I knew you were surfacing, but…damn it…” Tears dropped onto Adina’s face, and she’d never sensed anything more precious.
“I have a killer headache. And I’m thirsty,” Adina said, and raised a trembling arm to hold Briar closer. “Ow. Fuck. That hurt.”
“We’ve just set ribs and knitted them a few hours ago. You’re going to be sore for a while. Just be careful, all right?”
“All right.” Wheezing against the throbbing pain, Adina managed to open her eyes more fully. “Help me sit up. I need to talk to Shabina.”
“Are you sure?” Briar adjusted the bed. “I can have her removed.” Briar grimaced. “Or air-locked,” she muttered under her breath.
“As tempting as I’m sure a lot of people would find that idea, no.” Smiling wryly, Adina managed to raise her hand enough to run her fingertips along Briar’s jawline.
Briar returned her smile and then waved to the guard to let Shabina in.
“Finally.” The woman who was her mother, despite the many times Adina had wished differently as a young girl, swept into the room, her kaftan flowing around her and her large, colorful turban glittering with jewelry. “You may go,” she said to Briar, and waved her hand dismissively.
“She stays.” Adina braced herself and sat up further. “She stays and you listen.”
“Adina!” Shabina stared at her. “It must be your head injury that makes you address your mother this way. I’ve always said this life you lead—”
“Quiet.” Her professional voice, which could lock the heels of an entire unit of brawny foot soldiers, had an interesting effect on her mother. Shabina sat down on a visitor’s chair, defiantly folding her arms and crossing her legs. Excellent. “I have stayed neutral regarding the Vantressas, and lately my reason has been Caya’s friendship with Mathro and the other cousins.”
“That friendship has been terminated on my orders. No Vantressa would ever stoop so low as to socialize with a changer. Especially not one who has used subterfuge to gain access to one of the oldest families—”
“Oh, just stop it, Shabina.” Her headache getting worse, Adina forced herself to unclench her jaws.
“Caya will always remain Mathro’s friend,” Briar said, her voice mellow and so unlike how she’d fiercely protected Adina from her mother earlier. “It won’t matter how you try to keep the group of friends away from each other. Things have become very different between the Oconodians and the Gemosians since the launch. As much as some would want things to remain as they were,” Briar said and looked calmly at Shabina, “it’s not going to happen. We’re on our way to a new world and we can honor old traditions, but we’ll also find that we have a chance now for something brand-new. Our young people are the first to recognize this possibility. A whole new subculture has developed from their extensive jumper-cruising. Their heroes have changed. Now they idolize real people doing real things, like your daughter, for instance, rather than fictional characters.”
“What has this to do with my family? We’re a close-knit group who stick to our own. Our beliefs are strong and won’t be sullied by—”
“Mother,” Adina growled and watched Shabina flinch. Good.
“Your beliefs will survive if they’re well founded and fit into the new way of life we’re heading for,” Briar said. “You fear this, Madam Vantressa. You pull your family tighter and tighter around you, but when you do, they rebel and this reaction scares you. You’re not the matriarch you were on Oconodos anymore, and that’s why you try to use your daughter’s fame to regain it. I just want you to know that you missed your chance for a truly meaningful and honest relationship with Adina. No matter how you try to deny it, you failed her and hurt her too many times when she was a little girl and an adolescent. She can’t ignore all that and trust you. She doesn’t want to.”
“Do you allow her to speak for you all the time? Or is it just because you don’t dare face your own mother?” Shabina snarled.
“I dare. I just can’t be bothered. My head hurts.” Adina took Briar’s hand. “And she speaks my mind so well. You should listen to her. Even the president does.”
“She and her changer sister have wormed their way into Tylio’s circle? This is an outrage—”
“In fact, it’s quite handy, Madam Vantressa.” President Tylio stepped into the room. “From what I can tell, and I can assure you that I, alas, have none of Caya’s or Briar’s gifts, it’s pretty obvious your daughter has had enough of your visiting. I suggest you give us the room.”
Shabina stood so fast her chair fell over backward. “Madam President! You got here just in time. I could tell you so many reasons why you shouldn’t let these…these…”
Adina watched her mother falter and wondered if she’d picked up on the president’s wording.
“Wait. Did you say Briar’s gift?” She pivoted and looked at Briar with horror in her eyes. “You’re a changer like your sister?”
“So it would seem, yes.” Briar smiled gently. “I assure you, I’m quite harmless. No plasma balls, no ability to fly or make your brain explode. Nothing exciting at all.”
The president shook her head. “But clearly as much of a comedian as your sister. She’s outside, by the way, if you want to see her.”
“Caya?” Briar lit up and pressed her lips to Adina’s cheek. “I’ll go outside and talk to her.”
“I want to see her too, later,” Adina said and then returned her gaze to Tylio. The president looked as impeccable as always. Dressed in a soft green skirt with a crisp white jacket, white-streaked blond hair in a low chignon adorned with a black diamond clasp, she gave no indication of her frame of mind. Still, Adina had seen the woman up close many times and easily noticed the tension around her eyes and lips.
“Good-bye, Madam
Vantressa. My guard will escort you out.”
“No need, Madam President. I’ll see myself out as I realize my words of warning fall on deaf ears—or should I say, on a manipulated mind.” Shabina left the room with her usual flair, nearly running down Dodgmer, who faithfully waited outside.
“Was it just me, or did she imply Caya and Briar had taken over my mind—or even brainwashed me?” Tylio walked with her innate grace over to the chair Shabina had just vacated and sat down. “How are you really doing, Commander?”
Adina tried to shrug, but it hurt too much. “Honestly, Madam President, I feel like I need a vacation.”
Tylio’s eyes sparkled with well-contained but unmistakable humor. “You and me both. That will have to wait until we reach P-105. And even then I suppose we have our work cut out for us. I do hope someone else will be ready to run for office at that time, as I’m fairly sure people will be tired of me by then.”
“Or they will see you as their born leader like they do now.” Adina spoke matter-of-factly. “I’m not sure how much of the people’s true feelings filter through to the top leaders, but I’ve found out via my young family members, Caya, and Briar, that we’re the new heroes. I would never have believed this back on Oconodos, but here, on Pathfinder, it’s as if everything is put under a magnifying glass.”
Tylio listened with her head tilted slightly. “I wasn’t aware of this development.” She seemed to consider Adina’s words for a moment. “I suppose there can be worse things than being someone else’s hero.”
“As daunting as it seems, yes, I agree.” Adina closed her eyes briefly. “I apologize, Mad—”
“Please. Thea.”
“Thea. I wish you’d come before my mother played out her scene here. I would’ve had more energy left.”
“I didn’t intend to stay long. Actually I’d planned to wait until tomorrow to give you some time to come out of the initial shock to your system. It was only because Caya wouldn’t stop listing reasons why we needed to see you today that I gave in.” Tylio snorted softly. “Creator knows that young woman has been correct too many times lately.”
Caya nagging the president and making sure she got her way? This was an interesting development that Adina couldn’t wait to discuss with Briar. It would have to be later though; she could hardly keep her eyes open. She hid a yawn and began to close her eyes, too tired to be bothered with her prominent visitor.
“What did I say? If you want to say hello to Adina you better do it right now. She’s about to fall asleep.”
Briar’s clear voice made Adina open her eyes. She stood in the doorway with a wide-eyed Caya. When Caya saw she was indeed still awake, she flew across the room, her hair like a blond sail behind her.
“Adina! I’ve been so worried. I never want to be right about you getting hurt ever again. Please.” Clearly instructed by Briar, she carefully leaned across the bed and kissed Adina’s cheek. “We love you. You’re family.”
That did it. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Adina wept. Before then, she hadn’t shed a tear since she left home as a young woman, but now, staring up at the equally teary-eyed Caya, she felt her tears begin to run down her temples and into her hair. “You…Briar…” She choked on what she wanted to say and fumbled for Briar’s hand. Of course, Briar was there, her grip firm, and the warmth she radiated engulfed Adina and was more comforting than any words.
“I should go. I can wait outside for Caya.” Tylio rose from her chair.
“No, Thea. You’re part of this.” Caya, who apparently had decided to ignore protocol in the presence of the president, took Tylio’s hand. “Can’t you feel it?”
Adina looked at the three women surrounding her bed. As if on cue, there was movement by the door and Korrian pushed a hover chair into the room. Meija was pale and had an impressive orthosis around her abdomen, but she was smiling.
“Ah. Perfect.” Caya nodded at Briar, who took Korrian’s hand, which didn’t seem to faze the stern admiral at all.
The warmth seemed to expand as they connected physically, like a chain where each individual was part of something…something whole. Adina basked in the warmth, and it was as if it healed a part of her that had been broken and forgotten for a long time. Perhaps she had hidden the pieces for fear of never being whole again? Adina floated back into sleep, and the last thing she clearly saw before she gave in was Briar’s turquoise eyes.
Chapter Nineteen
**Day 189**
**Presidential Conference Room*
**Briefing**
“Sir, here’s our latest report of Pathfinder’s status.” Lieutenant Dodgmer handed Fleet Admiral Vayand a tablet and saluted the men and women around the oval table. “Using all the available technology, we searched the area twice and found six smaller devices containing white garnet mixed with infused radioactive agents. Two had exploded, four remained intact. They are being kept in a secure facility where criminal technologists are processing them. Repairs are under way and progressing in a speedy manner.”
“Am I safe to return to my quarters?” President Tylio sat straight in her chair at the far end of the table. Adina wondered how the woman could look so elegant and composed when her people were under attack, when she herself was targeted, and in light of the last week’s mayhem regarding her husband, Caya, and Briar. It took a special person to put all that aside and focus on the task at hand, but Adina could testify it all came with a cost. It wasn’t for her to speculate what Tylio’s private moments were like, but she could imagine.
“Yes. We have searched several times and run tests to determine if the device found in the unit below your quarters could have leaked any dangerous compound through the ventilation ducts or by other means. No such agents are registering on our scanners. As far as I can determine, it is safe for you to return.”
“Excellent.” Turning her gaze to a woman next to Dodgmer, she asked, “And the people responsible for this, Commander Toro?”
Adina listened as the security officer gave her report.
“We have worked with Admiral Korrian and managed to pinpoint when the different devices were placed. We have compared results of the admiral’s program for tracking residual white garnet, and now also radioactive agents, with our surveillance system. As far as we’ve been able to judge, the different devices, altogether eight of them since the launch, were placed at three different times. The first we have no records of, as there are no recordings until a month before the launch. This fact suggests that this group was placed well before then. As for the others, we have tracked individuals dressed in long black garments and black hats. This is the style in fashion right now for young males, which makes it impossible to determine clear identities.”
“Are you telling me we have these people on vids and you still can’t obtain one single identity? Nothing?” Lowering her voice, Tylio unclasped her hands and placed them palm down on the table.
“I’m sorry, Madam President.” Toro stood at attention but didn’t break eye contact.
“Damn.” Tylio glanced at Admiral Vayand and let her gaze travel around the table. “Anyone else have anything remotely useful to report?”
There it was, a sign of the stress Tylio was under. Normally she wouldn’t sound so scornful in a professional setting.
“I may actually have something,” Korrian said and stood. “If I may direct your attention to the screen?” She worked her tablet, and the large screen at the opposite end of the table from the president switched from the Oconodian crest to a blueprint of one of the cubes. “Here you see an example of a deck plan for cube four. This is just an example, which will demonstrate what I had in mind. Before I start, I must give credit to my wife for coming up with this idea.” She nodded at Meija, who looked mildly surprised, mouthing, “I did?” to Adina from where she sat across the table.
“I have found a way to cast a net across the entire deck, thus monitoring for anything we want to search for.” The screen lit up with a glittering gr
id covering the blueprint. “Obviously not people, but in this case, garnet of any color, radioactive agents, or other volatile compounds.”
“That looks like it would drain our much-needed resources, Admiral,” Vayand said, frowning.
“Ah, yes, it would be undoable if it had to be online the entire time.” Korrian tapped her tablet again, and now only certain points on the blueprint glittered. “This, according to my calculations, is doable. The big grid is only secondary. This grid, the smaller one, will be active constantly. These places are the major entry and exit points around the deck. If one of them triggers an alarm, the entire grid will engage, locating the device in question within a meter. We already have alarms on the maintenance access points, and they will now be permanently locked and the personnel will require additional information in their subcutaneous implants as well as retina scans for access. It will be based on DNA, among other things.”
Adina wasn’t sure what she thought of this massive increase in surveillance, but she understood the need for safety for the two million people on Pathfinder. Once they reached P-105 this would change. For now, it was how it had to be. Korrian’s plan was solid, as always.
“Very good, Admiral,” Fleet Admiral Vayand said and looked less stern and more approachable. However, his expression altered when he continued. “Now. These two young women, the changers, what’s being done about them?”
Adina went rigid and gripped the armrests of her chair hard. Now what? Hadn’t Tylio already taken care of this? Her heart beat furiously.
“Orien,” Tylio said, and by using his given name and foregoing his title made sure everyone knew she spoke as their unequivocal leader. “Briar and Caya Lindemay are loyal Oconodians. Briar has risked her life more than once to save others. Caya saved lives by revealing her genetic identity when she could have kept quiet and we would never have been alerted. These women are of no danger to any of us. They possess no mind-altering skills, nor can they produce anything that can be weaponized. In fact, they offer their services for the good of our joined people. Briar, as you may be aware, is also known as Red Angel. If you read through certain threads on the social-media sites, you will find many testimonies of how she’s helped people come to terms with the impact of the Exodus operation.”
