Raven's Sphere

by Melissa Koberlein

  Shut up, I reply to myself.

  “Emery, we’re safe.” I kneel next to him, my hands restless and fidgeting.

  He looks up, his eyes glassy. “Did you have to kill them?”

  I shrug nonchalantly. “Um, yeah. They were Cadmarian, and I’m Zetian.”

  Emery’s eyes widen, and his jaw drops. “You killed them because of where they are from?”

  Starfire, are those tears about to spill over? Why is this happening to me? I glance around, uneasy. “Oh, well, what I mean is…it’s complicated. But it would have come down to us or them.”

  He closes his mouth and nods. “My people live—” He swallows hard, his voice cracking. “Or I should say lived, a peaceful life. We meditiate to center ourselves, and as I told you, we don’t kill.” He takes a deep breath and sits up, his mouth set and determined. “That’s not my life anymore. My people are gone, and I have to adjust—start fresh.” He grasps my forearm firmly in a strange, unfamiliar ritual.

  His hand is small on my arm. A memory floats on the periphery of my mind of my brother’s hand on my arm, warm and welcoming. I look into Emery’s solemn eyes, and my chest clenches. I should walk away now before I get sucked in. Besides, I have my own warrants to worry about.

  Walk away, Raven. Walk away.

  I groan, knowing it’s already too late. I replicate his move with my left hand on his right forearm. “I think you can start calling me Raven.”

  Emery nods. “Raven.”

  We let go of one another and stand. I ruffle the hair on top of his head. Well, shit, I’ve got a new job that doesn’t look to pay squat and a new bestie. I hope his kick-ass glowing sphere doesn’t kill me before I have a chance to sell it.

  I smirk down at him, my shoulders relaxing. “It was a pretty awesome shot I took at that ship.”

  He grins back. “I’m not an expert on weaponry, but yes, I’m sure it was awesome.”

  “It saved our asses, kid.” I tap the comm panel. “SANDY, let me know when we are in orbit of Zeta.”

  “Yes, Captain Nevar.”

  “Oh, and SANDY, since it seems we are going to be together for some time, you may refer to me as Raven.”

  “Of course. Captain Raven.”

  I consider telling SANDY to drop the Captain, but it’s got a nice ring to it.

  4

  Teagan’s Hangar

  The infrared defense lasers are everywhere after I take my first step off the ship. The hangar is on the outskirts of Rourke, on Zeta, also known as the Ditch. It’s the only hangar still standing on the airfield. All the others have long since crumbled. I hailed the tower for twenty minutes before giving up and landing anyway. Where’s Teagan, and why isn’t he turning the lasers off?

  I inhale through my nose slowly…hydraulics and metal slag. Someone has been working on a ship recently. Now if I can just remember the path without encountering the scorching rays, we’ll be home free.

  “Don’t move!” I yell to Emery.

  “What are we doing here? How is this safer than where we just were?” Emery yells from the door of our ship.

  Luckily, he’s obeying me by not moving, but his questions aren’t helpful. I’m trying to concentrate. “Keep your pants on!” As an afterthought, I add, “And your glove!”

  I don’t want to get killed trying to save our asses again.

  The red thermal lasers dance around the floor, walls, and ceiling of the hangar like a disco nightclub. Except instead of promoting Zetians to dance, they will disintegrate anything in their path. I scan every nook and cranny of my surroundings. The floor is a gray cracked concrete, as are the lower walls. The upper walls are made of metal micro-lattice, a light, but super strong material. I glance up at the metal jungle gym above my head. In the middle of the hangar are two hanging bars, one lower than the other and reachable. A junction box dangles from the ceiling above the higher bar. At the far back wall is a red-and-white control box with a shiny metal center.

  I close my eyes, breathing slowly and deliberately. Focus. Remember the path. You can do this. A memory floods back—protective hands pressing into my shoulders as he stands behind me.

  He whispers in my ear, “I’ll show you only once. Then you have to practice it over and over until you can do it in your sleep. This is my only protection, Raven. You must learn it.”

  “I will.”

  I practiced for weeks, twelve hours a day. My body was in perfect shape then, but I also had both my arms.

  I open my eyes, and the safe zones, the places where a laser won’t go, appear before me, lighting up like sparks from my memory. I run full speed straight ahead, counting off in my head.

  Four, three, two, one…stop.

  My boots screech across the concrete floor as I decrease my forward momentum in perfect time. A laser glows directly in front of me and singes the tips of my boots. One inch further, and I’d have been toast.

  The laser passes.

  Now, left. I burst into a run again.

  Three, two, one…stop.

  The lasers are in front and behind me again, but this time, I’m steady. I twist to my right slowly, facing the back of the hangar as I take off running yet again.

  Three, two, one…

  I throw my body on the floor and slide under the lasers overhead. Once I come to a full stop, I take some much-needed breaths. Steady, girl.

  I’m up again. Back to the right, running toward a rusty metal bar lowered from the ceiling. I jump, grasping the bar, swinging myself up in the air to grasp another, higher bar. I dangle from the second bar as the lasers move around and under me.

  Breathe, Raven. It’s just like you practiced when you were younger. But this isn’t practice, and the next move is where I always messed up. You can do it.

  After the second pass of lasers, I swing my body forward, pulling my chest up to the bar, and then swing my leg up for leverage. Climbing on top of the second bar, I slowly stand to reach the dangling junction box. I press the red button. A secret panel in the floor by the back of the hangar opens. All the lasers move to the back of the hangar, trained on the entrance from all angles. I swing back down and drop to the floor.

  Okay, this is it. It’s now or never.

  I run straight toward the back of the hangar at full speed to the opening. The lasers, unmoving, will disintegrate my body if I don’t do this just right.

  Three, two, one.

  I pull out my pistol, aim, and shoot the box controlling both the lasers and the trapdoor.

  The lasers disappear with a click as the trapdoor begins to close.

  I dive for it.

  My face collides with the top of the ladder instead of my hand, sending stinging spikes across my cheek. That’s gonna leave a mark. I missed the top rung of the ladder just like I always did in practice, but this time, there’s no inflatable cushion at the bottom. I fall down the passageway, bouncing off the ladder like a Zetian pinball until my left shoulder meets the concrete floor. I moan and roll over onto my back, dazed. I’ve lost control of my artificial arm. That’s not good. I check my body for other injuries.

  Damn it! I lost one of my new boots in the door as it closed. But luckily no toes.

  Wait a minute. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I’m shrouded in darkness. Why haven’t the overhead lights turned on? Slowly, my eyes acclimate. As soon as I find my voice to call out, someone grabs me by the throat. I clutch my assailant’s wrist as it closes off my airway. The overhead lights turn on, and through blurry vision, I see a familiar face.

  He releases me, and I drop, rolling to my side, coughing and gasping for air.

  “Blue? What are you doing with fucking blue hair, Raven?” a loud, demanding voice behind me asks.

  Once I can breathe again, I turn back over and whisper, “Hey, Uncle Teagan. Blue is in. Didn’t you know?”

  “Damn it. Why didn’t you hail me before you set her down?” Teagan asks, staring down at me, the vein just above one eye pulsing.

  I stare
up at my uncle. He’s about the same as I remember him—tall, stocky, and loud. Pretty much the exact opposite of his sister, my mom, who was petite, soothing, and polite. I sigh and swallow hard. This is why I don’t come here often. The memories of my family surface too easily. I open my mouth to respond, but he doesn’t allow me to utter a single word.

  “You could have been killed up there, you know that? It’s not like we have a ton of family left. You of all people know this. What are you trying to do to me?”

  Wincing, I get up, holding my artificial arm in my other hand. Even though my uncle towers over me, I’m not one to back down from a little family guilt. I’ve got plenty of that. “I did hail you, multiple times. I got no response. I didn’t have too many choices up there. I had to land. And why didn’t you check your monitors in the hangar? You could have turned the lasers off when you saw that it was me. In fact, I’m the one who should be pissed.”

  “You should be pissed? My monitors are out. Shot up and destroyed by looters. I’m waiting on a new shipment to get things back up and running, which is why I’ve been relying on friendlies to hail me. I didn’t receive anything from your ship.”

  “But that’s impossible,” I begin but then stop, realizing what the problem is. Or rather, who. I roll my eyes and curse myself for trusting the kid so blindly. He really was doing a number on my psyche. “Stupid. I should have known.”

  Teagan raises his eyebrows expectantly. “What? Don’t leave me in the dark here.”

  “The problem is a twelve-year-old boy still upstairs. Shall we?” I ask, motioning to the ladder.

  Once we’re out the door, I ask my uncle to hang back. There’s something I have to take care of on my own. I approach the ship. “Hey, Emery, it’s safe now. Get your scrawny ass out here!”

  Emery peeks out from the door. “You sound angry. That doesn’t sound safe to me.”

  “You know more about this ship than you let on, don’t you?” I ask pointedly, walking toward him.

  Emery steps out onto the ramp of the ship, trying to appear complacent, but still out of my reach. “Well, I know some things. Why are you so mad? You should calm down. It’s unhealthy to—”

  Before he can finish, I grab his arm and pull him close so that our foreheads are practically touching.

  “Did you block the communications channel while I was trying hail the tower?” I ask, my eyes ablaze, unblinking.

  At first, he squirms under my touch, but then a steely confidence erupts from somewhere inside him. His eyes meet mine. “I had to. No offense, but you’re a thief, and I had no idea where you were taking me. I’ve decided to trust you, but I can’t afford to trust anyone else.”

  He touches the round satchel at his waist for emphasis.

  I can’t argue with his assessment of the situation. I do still want the sphere, and if my uncle saw it, he would want it too. “Okay, I get it. But listen, I could have been killed because of what you did. Would you want that on your cleric conscience?”

  “No.” His lips purse. “But, how was I supposed to know we’d end up in a hangar of dangerous killer lasers? What kind of friends do you have?”

  Touché. Wait till he finds out this is my uncle’s place. “It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that from now on you trust my decisions, or we will both end up space bait. Got it?”

  Emery nods emphatically. “Okay, I swear.”

  I take one last look into his silver eyes, scanning for deceit. Once I’m satisfied, I reply, “Good.” I wrap my good arm around his neck and pull him into a headlock. “Because if I thought for one second you were trying to get me killed, I’d rip your head off.” I release him and knuckle-rub his silvery head, mussing his hair.

  “Hey!” Emery shouts. “Was that really necessary?”

  “Yes, it was,” I respond, nonchalantly. “Emery, meet my uncle, Teagan.”

  “This is your family’s place?” he asks, eyes wide.

  My muscles tense at the mention of my family. I’m not sure how to respond.

  Luckily, Teagan moves forward to have a better look at Emery. Once he sees his silvery eyes, his expression changes. “Raven, do you realize what this kid is? He’s—”

  “Mythosian. Thank you for your hospitality.” Emery bows like he did toward me on the ship. The quick return of his calculated composure is impressive. So polite. Nice one, kid.

  I allow my uncle a minute to process. I walk by the ship, admiring her once again. “So what do you think? She’s a good ship, isn’t she? I don’t think I can part with her. So, I have some upgrades in mind…”

  Teagan puts his hands on his hips, his expression is unreadable. “You’ve some explaining to do first, and you need a repair on that arm. Come on, you two, let’s get underground.”

  “Okay, fair enough.” I motion for Emery to follow. How much of the truth do I tell Uncle Teagan? More importantly, do I tell him about the sphere?

  The basement is a gray cinderblock labyrinth of passages and doors leading to storage and diagnostic labs where my uncle creates weapons, computers, and gadgets. Currently, my entire arsenal bears his signature. I’m thankful too. His ingenuity has saved my ass more than once. Occasionally, I have enough money to shop around, but my uncle’s wares always end up being far superior.

  At the end of the main passage is a large door that leads to his living quarters. But first, we head to one of his labs to fix my arm.

  “You live here?” Emery asks, unexpectedly, a few feet behind us.

  When my uncle and I turn to face him, he looks like a caged animal about to piss his pants.

  Teagan chuckles. “Yes, I do. What? You don’t like it?”

  “Do all people on Zeta live underground?”

  “No, but most of the people who live here in the Ditch do. This used to be a transportation hub for trade between Cadmar and Zeta,” Teagan replies.

  Emery’s expression shows he’s clueless about the state of affairs in this part of the galaxy.

  “So, after the latest peace treaty between Cadmar and Zeta went south as it always does…” I raise my eyebrows for some kind of recognition that Emery, at the very least, knows that Zeta and Cadmar don’t get along.

  He nods, his eyes darting around the corridor nervously, acclimating to the artificial light. “I read some the history between your two planets in historical registers at the monastery on Mythos. You don’t get along.”

  Yup. “So, this is a favorite spot for the Cadmarian military to bomb. Most Zetians who lived here moved into the Grid, at the center of Rourke, where it’s safer. Uncle Teagan stayed.”

  Emery nods, but a sliver of fear remains on his face as his pace slows and his hands tremble.

  Maybe they don’t have underground compartments on Mythos, or if they do, he doesn’t much care for them. I glance at the cinderblock walls and fluorescent lights overhead. I have to admit it does look dismal down here. I chew on my bottom lip, thinking about what I could do to ease his discomfort.

  Get a hold of yourself, Raven. Quit being such a softy.

  But he’s not fine. His lip is quivering now too.

  Oh, bloody, fucking starfire! Why did this kid have to show up in my shower?

  I stop and turn toward Emery, placing my hand on his shoulder. I squeeze gently to release some tension. “Hey, don’t worry, we aren’t staying that long. It really is much safer down here. We’ll be okay, I promise.”

  From behind me, Teagan whistles, his sarcasm hitting some high notes. “Excuse me? My niece shows kindness to another human being? What’s this all about?”

  I tilt my head toward my uncle, rolling my eyes. “It’ll pass. Can we fix my arm, please?”

  Teagan laughs. “Whatever you say.” He looks down at Emery and smiles. “You’re a good influence on her.”

  Emery has a toothy grin despite his anxiousness. “I like her.”

  You shouldn’t, kid. But I can’t deny the tiniest bit of warmth in my chest where there was none. “Whatever.”

  “
Okay, you two. Come on.” Teagan unlocks a door to his left. “You can fill me in while I work on you.”

  I glance back down at Emery. He’s still tense but nods. I pat him on the back and follow my uncle into his lab. “Let’s do this.”

  Artificial body parts are not what one would call cheap or low tech. In fact, they’re not only extremely expensive to purchase, but they are just as expensive to repair. This is why I’m always broke and why I prefer refurbished parts and the labor of a friend instead of authentic Arta-limbs parts and techs. Sure, there’s a warranty for workmanship, but that doesn’t include injury due to deadly laser jumping. But it doesn’t matter now anyway. The warranty became void the moment my uncle jimmied the control panel open on my shoulder three months ago.

  An hour and a half later, my artificial arm is usable again. While my uncle worked, I filled him in on everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours, leaving out the part about the silver sphere. It’s not that I don’t trust him. I do. But he would probably talk me into taking it from Emery and selling it. Even now, I haven’t been able to get its glowing silver beauty out of my head.

  But something the boy said about being the guardian of the sphere rattles me. My gut tells me to steer clear of it. Or maybe my unease is more about how much Emery reminds me of Bren. I swallow hard, biting back forgotten feelings of remorse and shame. Emery just lost everyone he knows. I know all about that kind of loss. It’s why we can’t stay here long.

  We head back down the main passage to a set of living quarters. My uncle sleeps in a separate room at the opposite end of the barracks. After a quick meal of vegetable soup and Teagan’s extremely hard biscuits, Emery and I can barely keep our eyes open. We need to establish a plan, but I can’t think straight. I’m so tired. Slowly, I make my way over to a set of bunk beds. I motion for Emery to take the one on the bottom, and I collapse on the top. I’m exhausted, my limbs weak.