All eyes turned to Kaaluk when he rose from his seat. “Leika and Trill, come with me. I think there are things that Jarryd and Brynna need to work out. Family things.”
My brother nodded, then motioned to me. “Let’s talk.”
I followed him outside into a small copse. He sank to the ground. I joined him.
His tone was soft and plying. “I'm as worried about Mother as you are, Bryn, but don't you see that if we can't find a way to stop the solar threat, the whole planet is at risk, not just Mother.”
My hand went instinctively to my chest, feeling for the necklace hidden under my tunic. “I've been having dreams. Images of Mother engulfed in flames. I have to find her.” I tore at a piece of grass and shredded it between my fingers. “If the CMEs can’t be stopped, we all perish. At least she and I will die together. I can’t let her die alone.”
I expected more opposition, but Jarryd's next words surprised me.
“I understand your concern, but Trill may be right about your power. You may be able to help us in our strike against Tarvek. Besides, from what we’ve learned, the mountains of Prima Feminary lie north of the compound. Once we've won, we can find a way to Prima Feminary and rescue Mother together. It will only delay you a couple of days. What do you say?”
My brother's arguments were persuasive, but I couldn't get the recent vision out of my head. Could I afford a delay? Could Mother?
“Come on, Bryn.” He took my hand and gave me a pleading grin. “Father wouldn't want you to go alone. Two days and we can head for Prima Feminary together, with a greater chance of success.”
It was only two days and what Jarryd said made sense. Going to Prima Feminary on my own was a risk. If Mother's life was in danger, I had to be certain I could rescue her. Two of us would have a better chance at success than one. But I wasn't willing to wait too long.
“Forty-eight hours. After that, I'm going, whether you come with me or not.”
“Good. I knew you'd see reason.” Jarryd stood. “I'll tell Kaaluk the news.”
I knew how my brother’s mind worked. He'd taken my agreement as a win. He didn't understand what I'd overcome. Nor did he realize the depth of my resolve. I was surprised when Kaaluk joined me. His presence encouraged me to share.
“I’ve agreed to wait two days, but I realize that Jarryd doesn't know me anymore. He still thinks I'm that little girl who used to run after him on when playing hide and seek on our island.”
He grasped my hand. “He's a big brother, protective and caring. That will never change, but he'll always be there for you just as I will be there for Leika.”
I nodded. “Jarryd is a product of his upbringing, just as I am. He has expectations of being a leader in Hypor City. He won’t have to fight for his place in the world. His seat on the council is assured now that my father is dead and Delio’s deceit has been exposed. I have no such expectations. My experience and understanding are very different from his.”
“Your experience has given you wisdom far beyond your brother's, but he'll always see you as his younger sister.” Kaaluk gently pulled me to my feet. “Come and sit by the fire for a while. Let’s enjoy the evening. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
Silently we joined the others and sat for an hour. When the embers blackened, Leika and Jarryd departed hand in hand. Reluctantly, Trill and I headed to our sleeping unit. Kaaluk left for a final patrol of the camp.
I sat on my bed and pulled back the swath of purple hair from my brow. Something had shifted within me. I was no longer afraid to show who I was. I felt the need to proclaim my strength. “It’s time.”
“For what?” asked Trill.
“I want you to cut off my hair.”
“Are you sure? “She looked surprised then skeptical. “What about your eyes?”
“I’ve had to conceal who I am all my life. I don’t want to hide anymore.”
“Sounds good to me.” She pulled a knife from her boot. “I’ll do my best, but it won’t be pretty.”
14
The Battle Plan
The next morning, the camp bustled with activity, preparing for the trek to the scout’s encampment. I counted over forty men, packing food and water for the hike, and inspecting their blasters.
There was no discussion about the women going along. Our backpacks were ready to go. My only weapon was the knife I’d slung around my waist. I suspected that Trill still had the small blade tucked into her boot.
Jarryd’s eyebrows shot up when he noticed my short hair. “Looks like you’ve been hacked.”
Habit had me dropping my head then I remembered my new resolve. I looked my brother directly in the eye and propped my hands to my hips. “Do you want to rephrase that?”
He grinned. “You should have asked me to cut it. I could have done a better job.”
Trill drew alongside. “I’d like to see you try.”
“I like it,” said Leika. “I’m sure Kaaluk agrees.” She prodded her brother.
He seemed to be lost in thought, but finally looked up. “Beautiful as always.”
I bent over to grab my pack and hide my crimson cheeks. When I stood, the men were moving out. Four remained behind to guard the camp. The sky was a soft gray as Trill, Leika and I hurried follow the others.
I’d forgotten Jarryd’s warning about a long hike to reach Kaaluk’s lookout, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Appreciating the trees and bushes, the rustling leaves and the bird songs, I could almost imagine I was at home. As hidden stress drained from my neck and shoulders, my body felt lighter. I was sorry when we reached our destination. Tension quickly returned.
From the edge of the forested escarpment, we overlooked the precipitous slope leading to the vast expanse of sand that encircled Tarvek's compound.
“Anything new since your last report?” Kaaluk asked his scouts.
“The number of guards in the compound has grown continually but seems to have levelled off. The strange thing is the precise rhythm they have as they follow one another around the perimeter. See for yourself.” The man handed Kaaluk his scope.
“Has anyone entered or exited the compound since your last report?” Jarryd questioned the other scout.
“No. Just lots of activity inside.”
“I want to see too,” said Trill. “We should've brought scopes.”
Jarryd tossed his pack to Trill. “Check in there.”
She pawed through the contents, grumbling under her breath. When she found what she was looking for, she nodded and grinned. “That's more like it.” She lay on the grass and positioned the compact scope.
Leika and I rustled through the pack and found two more. We quickly dropped to either side of Trill and focused on the compound below.
“There are hundreds of them.” Leika dropped her hands and turned her astonished face to her brother. “We only have forty men. We’ll never be able to defeat them.”
“There has to be a way,” I said. “Maybe if we wait until after dark we can get a small force and knock out the guards at the gate.” I wanted to be hopeful but the odds weren't in our favor.
Kaaluk nodded. “That may be our best option, but it would help to find a weak point in their defenses. The array of solar panels surrounding the compound will give us some cover, but there are too many guards and that means a lot of eyes watching.”
Trill’s head swiveled as she swung her scope from side to side. “Something’s not right.”
“What is it? Do you see something unusual?” I knew she had a unique ability, though I didn't know the extent of it.
“It's what I'm not seeing,” she answered.
“Now you're talking in riddles,” said Leika.
Trill turned to me, ignoring the others. “You know what I told you about being able to see auras? With all those soldiers crammed in the compound, I should see a constant halo of light energy over the whole group. Instead, all I’m seeing is the occasional glow.”
I watched a grin stretch across her face. We locked eye
s. Suddenly I understood.
“So they're not human. Is that what you mean?”
“Exactly.”
“What's all this nonsense about auras?” Jarryd demanded in a loud voice. “You’re still talking in riddles.
“I don't understand either,” said Leika.
Trill ignored their questions and continued to stare down at the compound.
I explained. “Trill reads auras, or energy fields around people. We all have them. Even animals and plants. But she sees very few in the compound, which means the soldiers are not like us. They are not flesh and blood.”
“Machines.” Kaaluk's single word had us all back on our scopes. We were all hoping to detect the differences between the humans and machines, but only Trill could tell from so far away.
“They’re androids.” She continued to focus on her scope. “I recall Patch and the other musicians talking about Tarvek’s latest inventions. I didn’t pay much attention, but someone mentioned mechanical soldiers.
“That's why the number of guards kept rising. Tarvek must keep them in stasis, but why activate them now?” Jarryd asked.
I was wondering the same thing. “The Genetrix might have told Prince Delio and Tarvek that I was in Nuvega. But I can’t imagine my presence affecting their plans.”
Kaaluk added his theory. “They can’t know of our intention to attack the compound unless Tarvek’s drones have some sort of sensing device. We heard them crisscrossing the airspace over our camp several times. Despite our camouflage, they might have technology to detect our heat signatures. Whatever the reason, his compound is now on full alert. That makes our attack strategy more difficult.”
We pulled back and regrouped. Two scouts remained on watch.
“Despite their numbers, we can’t wait,” said Jarryd.
“I agree. We can’t let them escape,” said Kaaluk. “I’ll let the men know. We leave tonight.”
We joined the larger group to eat and rest.
The men ate in thoughtful silence. They were battle hardened and knew what lay ahead.
Beside me, Trill leaned against my shoulder as I sipped from my water bottle. “Are you scared?” she whispered.
“I'd be crazy not to be. Just because my voice helped us escape from Mistress Zora, doesn’t mean it will stun a compound full of soldiers.” I looked around the encampment. “These men are experienced fighters. We aren’t.” I was still unused to the idea of my voice being a weapon. I certainly didn’t see myself as a warrior.
“Leika is a trained fighter.” Her eyes widened. “And I refuse to be left behind. Besides, I’m the only one who can tell the difference between the androids and humans.”
I grinned. “So what you're telling me is that you really want to go into battle.”
Trill bobbed her head. “And you have to go too. We might need you to sing those men down.”
Her expression made me laugh. The men near us looked up, but soon resumed their solitary meals.
Leika joined us. “What's so funny?”
“I'm just explaining to Brynna that we all have to go into battle,” said Trill. “We all have skills that will help.”
Jarryd overheard the comment and came to stand near us. “You can accompany us as far as the solar collectors, but after that you have to leave the fighting to us.”
Leika rose to her feet.
Jarryd pulled back and raised a hand. “Except for you, Leika. You're a trained warrior. I know there's no way you'd let me go without you. Is there?” He grinned at her.
“You need me as well,” said Trill. “And Brynna too. Our skills are essential to the success of this mission.”
As Kaaluk joined the discussion, his eyes met mine. “You're right, Trill. Everyone is essential to our success. But when it comes to hand-to-hand fighting you have to let the men lead the way.”
“Fine with me,” said Trill. “I'm not looking to die young.”
“And you must obey orders.”
Trill squirmed under his commanding stare and finally broke eye contact. “Agreed,” she mumbled.
As dusk approached, the men roused, gathered their gear and checked their weapons. The tension in the compound was palpable. There was little for us to do, so Trill and I hiked back to the tree line to get our own update on the compound. We dropped onto our stomachs and peered through our scopes.
After a few minutes, Trill nudged my side. “Are you seeing what I'm seeing?”
“It’s weird, but they’re walking much slower than they were during the day. I wonder why?”
Almost simultaneously, we lowered our scopes. We exchanged glances and spoke as one. “Solar powered.”
Trill sprang to her feet. “We’ve found their weakness.”
My body buzzed with excitement. “The androids can only function during daylight.”
Trill furrowed her brow and wagged her head. “That doesn't make sense. What about batteries? Tarvek wouldn’t leave his compound unprotected at night. They must have battery packs of some kind.”
I offered another theory. “What if the batteries have to be recharged? Perhaps there are fewer androids patrolling at night. We have to tell Kaaluk.”
We ran back to the compound and told the others what we noticed, and our theories.
“If that's the case,” said Jarryd as he pulled out the map, “we can advance through the solar collectors and strike while the guards are fewest in number.”
Kaaluk looked at me, then Trill. “We'll need both of you. Trill to tell us which ones are androids, and we might need Brynna to use her voice.” He raised his hand to stopped Jarryd's objection. “We are outnumbered and we have to use every weapon in our arsenal.”
I ignored Jarryd’s concerned glance, and adopted a neutral expression to hide my concern about what was to come.
Trill stood as tall as she could. “Brynna and I are ready to do our part.” Lifting a defiant chin, she squinted fiercely and raised curled fists into the air. “Those bad guys don't stand a chance.”
A rumble of laughter erupted and slowly spread through the nearby men.
“What are you laughing at?” Trill demanded until one of the men imitated her pose. Unable to stifle a grin, she dropped her fists and rolled her eyes.
Her imitator lifted her into the air before spinning her in a circle. “Our warrior princess.”
“Let me go you behemoth.” Trill pounded his shoulder with her puny fists, which only increased the male chuckles.
Suddenly, Kaaluk raised his hand. The men went silent but still grinned as Trill was lowered to the ground. A rustling in the underbrush drew all eyes toward the forest. A scout broke from the leafy cover and ran to Kaaluk. “There is a dark cloud approaching from the east across the desert. We’re certain it’s a sandstorm. A big one.”
A sandstorm was something I’d never experienced. I watched the men exchange concerned glances. Their clenched jaws told me this wasn't good news.
“Make sure you've got cloaks, goggles and masks,” instructed Kaaluk. “The storm may slow our approach, but it will also decrease visibility from the compound. A veil of sand might work to our advantage.”
15
On the attack
Engulfed by the approaching wall of sand, the far end of Tarvek's compound was no longer visible in the darkening sky. The forceful wind was a stinging adversary. The deafening sound of the storm made communication impossible.
Dressed in protective gear, we grappled for balance as we descended the stony slope to the valley floor. The winds howled and swirled around us, obscuring our vision with biting sand. The men took the lead on the soft red dunes, cautiously probing the path for evidence of explosive devices or hidden obstacles.
In two lines, we scurried over the shifting ground, constantly wary of traps. We arrived safely at the array of solar panels southwest of the compound. Kaaluk broke us into smaller groups. Leika, Trill and I stayed with Jarryd, Kaaluk and two other men. We zigzagged between rows of metal poles, slowing when the main e
ntrance to the dome came into view. Crouched low, we advanced through the blinding gritty veil. Twenty feet from the gate, we spotted the guards.
At Kaaluk’s signal, we dropped to the ground. More concerned with protecting themselves from the oncoming storm than watching for intruders, the guards stood huddled at the entry point, oblivious to our presence.
“Can you tell if they are androids?” Kaaluk yelled into Trill’s ear.
“I see auras. They must be human.”
He signaled to Leika and two men. She pulled her knife from its sheath in readiness, as did the others. I understood what they had to do, but I couldn’t prevent the sick feeling in my stomach as their arms raised in readiness.
Kaaluk's was the first blade to fly, then three more followed. The hits were confirmed as one by one, Tarvek's guards crumpled to the ground.
“I don't see any more.” Jarryd called out and moved forward, his weapon ready as his eyes scanned the area. The sheeting sand made it impossible to see beyond where the guards had fallen.
We drew closer. Near the gate, one injured guard groaned softly. I knelt beside him, my hand hovered over his body, but there was no hope. I could feel his energy slipping away. His confused eyes held mine as his life force diminished. When I felt an emptiness in his body, I stood and backed away.
Saddened by the waste of war, my eyes sought Kaaluk’s. He nodded, understanding the conflict that raged within me. My gift was primarily one of healing, but I couldn’t ignore the darker side of my voice.
The wind roared around us cutting the visibility to inches. As we moved forward, no guards challenged our assault, but tension remained high. We had no idea what would greet us when we accessed the compound.
Jarryd wiped the sand from a luminous panel at the right of the entranceway. “Looks like a hand scanner.” He yelled against the howl of the wind, then gestured. “Bring one of those bodies over here.”
When the first guard’s palm scan didn't work, Kaaluk's men dragged the other dead bodies to the gate.
The Lost Prophecy Page 11
