Blasters were raised, including Rjee’s and Djarl’s.
The Meitj Emperor had arrived here without a bodyguard.
Dan took a step forward, and my father’s blaster jabbed him in the kidneys. The weapons master halted.
“There is time to consider the implications of the Ceph’s return to the galaxy,” Raine said. Being the center of so much aggression left him outwardly unmoved. “The destruction of the Imperial Crown allows for the lifting of the stasis imposed on the Ceph’s home planet, but said stasis will take many decades to thaw. There is time and enough for humanity’s shamans to study the Ceph and the nature of the sha energy structures—as I believe you call such energetic workings—while the Galactic Parliament considers the political, financial and defense issues. If the decision of Galaxy Proper is to maintain the Ceph in stasis, then Theta assured my ancestors that it could be done. You, as shamans, must study and discover how.”
Raine paused. “Jaya, what I did in threatening you on Naidoc was abhorrent to all Meitj values of friendship and respect for human life and independence. However, my uncle convinced me that you were strong enough to survive and destroy the Imperial Crown, and my inherited oath bound me to attempt it.” A whistling breath, a Meitj sigh, punctuated Raine’s speech. “It also enabled me to change the conversation concerning the Ceph’s existence totally and irrevocably.”
Vulf’s voice was harsh as he cut short the Emperor’s justifications. “It is easier for you. Now, you go to the parliament with the Ceph freed, even if their freedom may take decades to eventuate. You are no longer arguing to end their lockdown. Instead, those who fear the impact of the Ceph must argue to lock them down again. Or destroy them.”
A yellow tinge of alarm colored the Emperor’s eyes. “You would destroy them?”
“Yes,” Vulf, his dad, my dad, his mom, Kohia, Rjee and Djarl all spoke together.
The Emperor’s exoskeleton lacked the ability to sag, but he swayed with disappointment.
Professor Summer cleared his throat. “Jaya, I am authorized on behalf of the Galactic Court to present you with your first mission as a Shaman Justice. You are to gather a team to support you and venture to the Ceph Sector to study the newest potential members of Galaxy Proper. Regular reports are expected. Your expenses will be covered.”
I stared at him blankly for several seconds, trying to take in just how radically the situation had changed, and how grave would be my first mission as a Shaman Justice.
I would be responsible for gathering evidence and presenting my opinion on the nature of the Ceph, their use of sha energy, the level of danger they represented in relation to Galaxy Proper’s defensive capabilities, and whether they should be freed, re-imprisoned, or destroyed.
Raine tapped his middle claws together. “We’ll be releasing your grandfather, Ivan Romanov, into your care. Even without his shamanic talent, our experts believe he may be of assistance to you. And he has certainly proven his determination to assist the Ceph.”
“I’ll need three days to wrap up things at the Academy and recruit another four shamans to accompany us,” Dan said. He met the shifters and Freels’ hostile gazes blandly, but when he looked at me, his air of quiet command lessened. “You’ll need help, Jaya.”
“She’ll have ours,” my father said.
Rjee and Djarl nodded. “We’ll send crew members, as many as you need,” Rjee added.
“I’m coming with you.” Edith folded her arms. “And don’t argue!” Her glare started with Vulf, and switched to include their parents.
However, Trent and Laura shocked me most of all. “We wouldn’t argue with you, honey,” Laura told her daughter.
Trent’s arm went around his wife’s shoulders as he snagged Edith with his other arm and drew her close. “We’ll be going, too.”
Vulf started laughing. “We’ll be investigating a forgotten legend capable of annihilating the galaxy…and it’s just turned into a family trip.”
“Of my family, too, please. My daughter would like to be included,” Raine said.
My eyes popped. This was getting out of hand. I couldn’t lead a team that included Vulf’s parents and a Meitj Imperial Princess!
On the other hand…did I trust any other shaman to command the expedition? The fact that I didn’t, hurt. But I had new allies. I had a family. Most of all, I had Vulf.
“Anyone who wants to come is welcome,” I said. If we were going to do something this crazy and momentous, who was I to stop people from volunteering?
“Cool!” Edith squealed, and hugged me. Then she spoke into her communicator. “Ahab, did you hear that? I know there’s that stupid delay before you answer, but can you organize t-shirts, please?”
“Team Ceph-inator. We’ll need twenty of them. Maybe more,” Edith said. “And Jaya’s t-shirt has to have a crown on it.” Edith glanced at Raine and winked. “An imperial crown for the Ceph-inator in Chief.”
The Meitj Emperor swiveled his eyes, amused.
“Team Ceph-inator?” I asked.
Vulf shared more of his sister’s zaniness than you might guess. He kissed my ear. “Do you want to ceph-inate me?”
The young Trent cousins standing nearby burst into teenage giggles.
“I’ll consider it.” I tried not to laugh, but failed. “You are all crazy,” I told my new family and allies. “But I love you.” And I was incredibly grateful for their support. “Edith? Change the t-shirts. If we’re going to be crazy…on Earth there was a legend of giant, tentacled creatures that resembled the description of the Ceph. They were called Kraken. So we’ll be Kraken Hunters.”
“Ooh, love it! Kraken Hunters it is.” Edith passed on my message to Ahab.
I clapped my hands together, ready to unleash a terrible pun on the galaxy. “Okay, people, let’s get crackin’!”
There are worse ways to begin a mission that would determine the fate of Galaxy Proper than with laughter.
Want More?
Jaya and Vulf’s adventures continue in The Ceph Sector, coming in 2018. Meantime, you can enjoy Kohia and Nairo’s story in Shattered Earth, out November 20, and Ahab’s holiday rescue story, Jingle Stars, out December 4.
I appreciate your reviews more than I can say. Thank you!
And if you’re looking for something other than science fiction…
My Old School series is composed of stand-alone paranormal romance novels:
Phoenix Blood
Fantastical Island
Storm Road
Fire Fall
Desert Devil
Amaranthine Kiss (coming in 2018)
Shangri-La Spell (coming in 2018)
As is my complete paranormal romance series, The Collegium. Magic, mystery, shifters and demons. Both are available in Kindle Unlimited.
Demon Hunter
Djinn Justice
Dragon Knight
Doctor Wolf
Plague Cult
Hollywood Demon
Alchemy Shift
You can catch up with me on my Facebook page, Twitter @Jenny_Schwartz, or at my website.
Jenny
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Cosmic Catalyst (Shamans & Shifters Space Opera Book 2) Page 22
