by S. G. Basu
The Xifarians swiftly retaliated. They crushed the fledgling rebellion, held the leaders of both the Solianese and the Jjord captive, and destroyed the energy sources of the planet. The people of Tansi teetered on the brink of extinction over the two-day standoff, until their leaders were forced into the terms of what became known as the Exchange. The Solianese promised the Xifarians workers for the mining operations on Ti, and the Jjord agreed to an annual bartering of scientific and industrial knowledge—all in return for a stringently calculated supply of energy from Xif.
And since then, our lives . . . lives of all Tansians, the land dwelling Solianese and the Jjord of the undersea alike, have been dictated by the Xifarians.
Maia suppressed a sigh, and turned her attention back to the tunnel.
“Have you ever walked into the tunnel, Herc?” she inquired.
Herc shook his head. “No, Miss Maia. ’Tis not safe,” he said. “But way back then, yeh could prob’ly reach Shiloh if yeh walked eastward along it.”
Sounds of laughter told Maia that the second turbine was now alive as well. Dani and Poch soon emerged from the measurement station.
“We did it,” Dani announced, rushing to hug Maia.
A giddying wave of pride and happiness flooded Maia’s heart. She had known that her friend was smart, but she did not know how much until this day.
A warm sunset was coming to an end when the group walked back home, happy and content. Poch led the way alongside Herc, Maia and Dani followed closely, and a band of chatty villagers brought up the rear. Poch promised them a tour of the woods the following day, as well as one of his candy factories.
Emmy was waiting for them at the gates when the party walked in. She wasted no time in ushering the girls inside, even before Poch and the villagers had the chance to bid them a proper good-bye. This night there was no talking after dinner, as Maia and Dani were exhausted, and within moments, they drifted into sound, peaceful sleep.
8: Together Again
The next few days flew by in the blink of an eye. Dani had grown so popular overnight that people who had never set foot in Dada’s farm stopped by to meet the “kind girl from the seas.” They brought gifts, trinkets, sweets, cakes, pastries, and anything else they could find. Overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude, Dani started brooding over the sad state of affairs between the two nations that had formerly been one. By the fourth and final day of the stay, Maia could not bear to see her downcast eyes and lightless face.
Dani kept busy tinkering with the perimeter shield that Hans had started. Maia accompanied her every day, and together they installed some monitoring devices along the fence lines. The more Maia worked with Dani on the security system, the more fearful she grew. She had been happier not thinking about the hazards she had faced, but now a gloom weighed on her mind. The Xifarian chancellor’s threats kept ringing in her ears.
The Xifarians are capable of anything. What if they hurt my family?
The next moment she restrained herself.
I have to stop thinking this way, or I’ll end up worrying like Emmy all my life. The chancellor’s words were just a random outburst of anger. He meant nothing to me in particular, he couldn’t have. I’m just an ordinary girl to him, by now he must’ve even forgotten all about me.
Debating her fears brought relief, but only briefly. Doubts, obstinate as they always were, persisted anyway. Maia was almost glad when it was time to leave Appian, this time there was little regret in her mind.
No one will bother my family if I’m away, and they’ll be safe.
Maia could not wait to leave.
The village was still struggling to catch a few winks of fitful sleep on the very warm and humid night when Herc readied the carriage Herc readied the carriage for their trip to the drop-off point. They arrived at the Troughs a little before daybreak, the soft light making the vast expanse of pockmarked fields look ethereal. Maia was a little surprised to find Dani as affected by the landscape as she had been on seeing it the first time. Dani treaded the soft ground with utmost care, as if making sure she did not hurt the carpet of green underneath her feet. The Holding Pod that would take the contestants to the venue in the Jjordic colonies sat sure and steady in a trough as it had six months ago, a similar white tent standing next to it. A Tokii clerk scooted out of the parted curtains and peeked at the trio. There was no need for passkeys this time since both Maia and Dani wore their assigned identification numbers. The Tokii simply brought his prong closer to scan the numbers and nodded.
“What is that?” he asked sharply, glancing at the case Dani was carrying.
“My belongings,” Dani explained. “I was visiting my friend here, so—”
“All right,” the Tokii cut her off. “It is up to your security protocols to allow luggage in. Please board.”
After waving good-bye to Herc, Maia and Dani walked into the Holding Pod. It looked smaller than Maia remembered and there were certainly fewer people in it. A dark-haired girl Maia recognized was sitting on the floor, and just like the last time, she did not glance at the new arrivals. A boy with bright red hair stood with his back to the door, staring out of the clear glass walls. He turned around and flashed a half-hearted smile. Maia remembered her last ride on the craft and suddenly missed Kusha—it had been comforting to have him by her side. Now that the circus his parents owned was camped in the Third Continent, Kusha would take a different pod, likely along with Nafi, to Zagran.
They did not speak much. Dani was still in a contemplative mood. The pod took off, landed at a few more places, and gradually familiar faces trickled in. Jiri, the lanky boy who looked even ganglier now, scuttled toward the pair.
“We’re back together again,” he exclaimed.
“Yes, we are.” Maia twittered happily. “Had a fun break, Jiri?”
“Sure did, but it was a little too short. How was yours?”
“Great, couldn’t have been better,” Maia replied.
They went on to speculate what this phase of the contest would be like and mused over the various adventures they had had while on Xif. Before long, the craft was skimming past the bright blue waters over Coloni Primei. They went down the chasm and bobbed up in the brightly lit cove of the Jjordic settlement.
“Let’s go,” Dani broke her silence. “We have to disembark here.”
She led the way down the stairs and on to the sparkling white ledge. Maia felt a distinct sharpness in the air as she followed Dani out of the pod. A woman and a man stood on two sides of the stairs, intently scanning the visitors. Their own faces were like masks, their eyes unsmiling and cold. They nodded curtly at Dani as she walked past and continued staring icily at the others who followed. A young man in a white uniform beckoned them to the other end of the ledge; behind him was a large door marked, “To Checkpoint.” After everyone had gathered in this area, he turned around and threw the door open.
A crowd of familiar faces thronged the room on the other side.
“Maia,” a familiar voice rang out. A girl with bouncy auburn curls rushed to Maia’s side. “How have you been?” Nafi’s bright green eyes sparkled.
“Great,” Maia laughed, throwing her arms around her friend. “Been here long, Nafi?”
“Very long,” Nafi said, rolling her eyes. “Our pod was the first to arrive and I’ve grown tired waiting.”
“Hello, Nafi,” Dani chimed in softly.
“Dani?” Nafi’s eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”
“I just got off the pod with Maia,” Dani replied. “Happy to see me?”
“Of course, of course,” Nafi chirped, struggling to catch up. “I just wasn’t expecting you here. Wait, does that mean you were visiting Maia?”
“Yes, she was.” Maia eagerly summarized the long story of the surprise visit from Dani and her brother.
“Why don’t I get to visit anyone?” Nafi grumbled. “All I get is to travel back with Mister Grumpy.”
“Mister Grumpy?” Maia raised a curious eyebrow.
“Kusha,” Nafi explained. “He’s been silent all through the trip, I don’t know why. I’m so bored.”
“Where’s he now?” Dani asked as she looked around the room.
“I don’t know. He took off right after we came in here.” Nafi shrugged listlessly, and then a mischievous look came over her face. “Maybe, he has a girlfriend,” she whispered, her eyes shining with the thrill of making the greatest discovery. “That would explain why he was grumpy all along—he must be missing his dearest.”
“You’re crazy,” Dani declared. “I’m going to ask Kusha and see what he has to say about it.”
“Why?” Nafi crossed her arms and tapped her right foot as she squinted at Dani. “You think he can’t have a girlfriend? Do you know something that we don’t?”
“I didn’t say that, I just—”
Dani did not get a chance to finish, as the door behind them opened once more and another bunch of youngsters filed in. A gregarious boy with mottled eyes and spiky black-and-white hair came swaggering into the room. He wore a bright red shirt with a gold hawk emblem. His face broke into a big grin when he saw the three girls.
“A receiving party for me?” Ren, their friend and teammate from Xif, said loudly, tipping an imaginary hat for effect.
Nafi shook her head and exhaled as noisily as she possibly could. “What’s this you’re wearing?” she demanded as she tugged at the sleeves of his shirt.
“Hey, hey . . .” Ren flinched, pulling his arm back. “Don’t touch my team shirt, ignorant girl.”
“What?” Nafi barked. The frown on her face was not a happy sight. “What did you call me?”
Maia and Dani exchanged quick glances, both deciding this was the right time to intervene before a war broke out.
“You’re all here . . .” The voice that came from behind them was as welcome as it was effective in distracting everyone. Kusha stood smiling, his dark hair as unkempt as ever, his eyes shining through curly strands that escaped the red headband stretching across his forehead.
“Where were you hiding, Kusha?” Dani asked. “We’ve been here for ages.”
“Just walking about,” Kusha replied.
“He speaks,” Nafi observed as she peered at the boy.
“Great discovery, Miss Smartness,” Ren chortled.
Nafi glared at Ren, Ren made a face at Nafi, and then they both looked away. Both seemed really keen on hiding from each other the smiles that played on their lips.
Maia felt her heart swell, and her face stretch into an uncontrollable grin that kept on going. They were together again. There was little else in the world that could have made her happier.
“Are you well, Maia?” Kusha asked, leaning closer.
As Maia nodded, she could not help but notice the pallor on his face. Fear lurked in his eyes, subduing its sparkle.
“Nafi said you were worried,” she said to Kusha. Next to them, Dani fought hopelessly to contain another imminent war of words between Nafi and Ren.
“I was,” Kusha sighed, and turned to face her. “I was worried about you, Maia . . . almost thought I’d never see you again.”
“Oh, Kusha, I was fine.” Maia linked a comforting arm through his. “Besides, Dani stopped by and spent almost a week with me.”
“Really?” A wave of emotions coursed through his face. He glanced at Dani, who had finally managed to bring peace between Nafi and Ren. “That was nice of her. I would’ve showed up at your house too if I could’ve found a fast-enough transport. I was worried sick—I was sure the R’armimon would attack you again.”
Maia’s heart skipped a beat. Seeing her friends so concerned made the realization sink in some more—her face-off on Xif with Yoome, the assassin of the R’armimon, had been dangerous indeed. A shudder went down Maia’s spine as she recalled how powerful Yoome had been. She had overpowered Maia and Ren so easily and put up a stiff fight with Miir. Maia had been lucky to have escaped her clutches.
“Visitors traveling to Zagran will please follow the signs to the Aquiccela terminal,” an icy voice announced over the loudspeaker, the voice’s lifelessness lingered and spread uncomfortably across the room. The crowd silently gathered around the door that said, “To Terminal.”
9: Broken Apart
There was no one to show them the way, no smiles or welcomes. The door opened silently, revealing a brightly lit corridor ahead. On the ceiling, a brilliant green arrow flashed intermittently. The floor was white, shiny, and slick; the tap of each footstep on its hard surface reverberated through the emptiness. A hushed silence had fallen, and the group of youngsters walked quickly in the direction of the arrow. They came to a vaulted doorway leading to another corridor framed by lighted arches as far as Maia could see. Ahead of the entrance, the entire path seemed to ripple forward.
“Follow me,” Dani said as she made her way through the crowd.
Maia marched onward. Kusha, Nafi, and Ren tagged close behind. When Dani stepped beyond the doorway, Maia gingerly hopped on the moving walkway, a little fearful of the floor that crawled below her feet. The other teams soon followed. A curious few even started walking and skipping ahead of the rest.
“Where are we going?” Maia asked Dani.
“To the Aquiccela terminal,” Dani explained. “There we board our transport to Zagran, a train that runs between the settlement and the fringe port.”
“Fringe port?” Nafi asked.
“That’s what we call the cove where the pod landed. These fringe ports are the points of entry from the external world to our settlements, sort of like what Arpasgula is to Xif.”
“That reminds me, it’s weird that no one came to greet us,” Maia commented. During the Xifarian phase, Vice Principal Geir-Sei of the Xifarian Defense Academy or the XDA had received them at the spaceport of Arpasgula where the Holding Pod had taken them. Maia had expected someone from their current host institution, the Jjordic University of Advanced Arts and Sciences or the UAAS, to meet them the same way.
“Yes, that surprised me too,” Dani admitted.
“No one cares,” Ren said casually. He diligently brushed off some invisible dust from his bright red shirt.
Above and around them, the rows of lighted arches glowed in a soft, soothing blue. It did little to calm Maia—she stared eagerly ahead, wondering what to expect next. The wait soon came to an end, and after a few sharp turns, the walkway reached a wide room not unlike the one they had started from. The far side of this room was lined with a row of booths where ten women sat. They all had short hair, wore white uniforms, and sported equally somber expressions. The women stared at the visitors with cold, disapproving eyes.
“They will check our credentials,” Dani said loudly enough for the entire company to hear. A voice crackled overhead not long after.
“Visitors traveling to Zagran, proceed to the agents for verification and authorization.”
Soon, Maia made it to one of the counters. The agent asked her name, scanned the number the Tokii had assigned to her during the last phase of the contest, and then directed her to another side of the room where more agents waited next to a closed door. Nafi and Ren were already waiting there, looking away from each other pointedly, perhaps because of yet another disagreement.
“So, Ren,” Maia nudged his elbow, “what exactly is this ‘team shirt’ thing?” She could feel Nafi steal a furtive glance.
“It’s my racing team jersey,” Ren replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “We won the Sword of Ataii this year, so this is very special.”
“Racing team? What race?” Maia asked. Next to her, Nafi shuffled closer.
“The annual Cylopede race,” Ren replied, and then added, flushing a little, “I’m part of the juniors’ team though. The real race is open only to people eighteen years and older.”
“What’s the Sword of Ataii?” Kusha joined the conversation.
“It’s the winner’s trophy, named after the legendary Seigvard,” Ren said dreamily.
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��Seigvard is a wonderful name. Ataii was your last queen, wasn’t she?” Dani, who had joined the group moments before, must have recalled what Ren had mentioned during their stay on Xif. “There must be incredible tales about this sword.”
“Not really.” Ren shook his head. “The Royal family and its history is a well-guarded secret. I’ve always heard those names, but not much more.”
A small murmur rose from where the two agents stood guarding the door, making all of them forget the matter of the Xifarian queen for a while. The door had opened and the two guards directed people through it. One of them thumbed through the pages of a shimmery notebook, while the other pointed people in different directions on the other side of the door.
“They’re showing us to the Aquiccela. Come on.” Dani directed the group to the agent with the notebook.
The man looked through the book, then back at the group, and back and forth a few times. Maia assumed he was crosschecking their identification numbers with their biometrics before letting them inside.
“You have been checked in,” he informed Nafi, who stood at the head of the line. “You will pass through the doors and await the boarding call.”
As Nafi stepped aside, Dani walked up to the man.
“You will please take a seat.” The man smiled at her, pointing at a bench along the wall behind him. “You will be boarding the fore, after everyone else has been boarded. An escort will be here shortly to walk you over to your seat.”
Dani looked uncertainly at the bench. “Why do I have to sit there?” she asked. “I would rather be here with my friends.”
The expression on the man’s face changed from confusion, to sudden comprehension, and then to cold outrage.
