by Justin Sloan
“You’re really selling it here, Lien,” Jilla said with a laugh.
“It’s important that I be as truthful as possible,” he replied. “Two more things. First, you are by no means required to take the test. It’s entirely up to you. Second, every Lavkin takes this test. It’s sort of a rite of passage.”
“Why have me take it?” Kalan asked.
“Honestly? At the height of our alliance Bandians would regularly take the test, and they were known for their very high scores. In fact, a Bandian holds the all-time record. The best I’ve ever seen anyone score is eighty-two out of one hundred. I’m wondering if you can beat it. That would be amazing to see.”
“No pressure,” Wearl said dryly.
“Okay,” Kalan said. “Let’s do this thing.”
They walked up the metal causeway toward the island. Just as they had been the day they’d arrived, most of the Lavkins in the squadron were waiting. Unlike the first day, though, he now knew most of them. It felt much more intimidating to be in front of a gathering of people he knew and respected. There was a small machine about the size of his head sitting on a table in front of the crowd, as well as a chair and a large display screen.
As they stepped onto the island, the crowd went silent.
“They won’t say a word during this entire process,” Lien explained. “They don’t want to risk distracting you.” He motioned for Kalan to sit.
“Are you going to poke me with a needle again?”
“No.” He picked up a small cup-like object that was attached to the machine by three thin wires. “This fits over your eye like a patch. Once I activate the machine, you will experience three scenarios. It will feel like you are there, and you will in fact forget that this is a test. That way we can gauge your true reactions.”
Kalan’s lips tightened into a thin line, but he nodded. “Okay. So it’s imaginary, but I’ll think it’s real?”
“Exactly. And there’s one more thing…everything you see will also be projected on this screen. That is the real point of this test—to see if you’re willing to have your true reactions in intense situations laid bare for the entire squadron. Still want to go through with it?”
Kalan hesitated for a moment. He wanted nothing more than to have the acceptance of these Lavkins, but what if this test revealed something about his true character that they didn’t like? He supposed that was the point of it all, though—to let them see his true self when his guard was down.
“Yeah, I am,” he said.
“Good.” Lien placed the cup-like device over his right eye. “Here we go.” He touched the machine and his hand glowed briefly, and then—
***
Kalan stood in a garden of sorts. He didn’t remember how he’d gotten there or how long he’d been there, but there was one urgent thought pulsing in his brain and refusing to be ignored: get out of there as quickly as possible.
He looked around, taking in his surroundings in more detail. Grass grew around his feet, and strange flowers he’d never seen before bloomed nearby. Around him was a ten-foot wall with a rounded top.
There was a sign mounted on top of the wall that read, How quickly can you get out?
He made his way down a grassy corridor until he came to a place where he either needed to turn right or left.
“I know what this is,” he muttered to himself. “A damn maze.”
If he wanted to get out of here quickly, he wasn’t going to do it by solving the maze. He needed to get on top of that wall.
The first thing he tried was jumping and grabbing the top so he could haul himself up, but he discovered the top of the wall was slick. His fingers slipped off it every time he tried.
Next he tried pulling himself up by the ivy that covered some areas of the wall, but it tore loose and he crashed back to the ground.
He put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath. “Think your way out of this, Kalan. You can do it.”
His eyes settled on the sign perched on top of the wall. If he had a rope or something to hook around that, he could pull himself up. He didn’t have a rope, but he did have his shirt.
He quickly pulled off his shirt and stepped to the wall beneath the sign. Holding the shirt by each sleeve, he jumped as high as he could and swung the shirt up. On the third try he successfully hooked the shirt over the sign, then pulled himself to the top of the wall. Once he got past the curved edge, the wall was flat.
He stood up and surveyed the vast maze. When he saw all the dead ends, he was glad he hadn’t tried to get through the maze. All he had to do now was walk along the edge wall and make three right turns, and he’d be out.
He started walking, and—
***
Kalan ran through the woods. Luckily it was a clear night, so the three moons in the sky lit his way. Once again he had no idea how he’d gotten here, but he knew he was being chased by a powerful enemy he had no chance of defeating. If they caught him, they’d kill him.
He dashed forward at top speed, leaping over logs and ducking under low-hanging branches. His lungs burned as he ran, and he felt a cramp forming in his left leg. Ignoring them both, he kept pushing onward.
After he’d been running for what felt like hours, he broke through the trees into an open grassy field. Joy surged in his chest, and he had the feeling he’d done it—he’d evaded his pursuers.
But when he saw what was in front of him, he jolted to a stop.
It was a ravine. In the moonlight he could see pretty far down, but he couldn’t see the bottom. Far below the fog was thick, nullifying any chance he had of figuring out how deep the ravine really was.
His enemies were closing on him; he could feel it. If he jumped he would die, but at least it wouldn’t give his enemies the satisfaction of killing him. He hesitated only a moment, then leaped into the ravine.
He hurtled down toward—
***
Kalan stood in a long hallway. The details of how he’d gotten here were once again hazy, but he completely understood his situation.
At the end of the hallway to his left stood a male he greatly admired, banging on the door to try to get out.
To his right were two males he greatly disliked, who were also pounding on a door on their end of the hallway. He knew these men weren’t evil; he just didn’t like them personally.
Kalan was holding a key in his hand…the key to both locked doors.
And on the floor in front of him was a bomb, its display counting down from eleven seconds.
Kalan knew he had time to make it to one of the doors, saving himself and either the male he liked or the two he didn’t.
Save one pleasant male, or two unpleasant ones? He needed to decide now or the chance would slip away.
It only took a moment for him to realize what he needed to do. He grabbed the key and threw it as hard as he could toward the two men. “Unlock the door!” he called to them.
One of the males nodded, scooped up the key, and did just that.
With three seconds left Kalan threw himself on top of the bomb, covering it with as much of his body as possible. He hoped it would be enough to save the male at the other end of the hallway.
One second left on the timer and—
***
Kalan was back on the island. He blinked hard, trying to get his bearings. The hot sun on his face, the feel of the chair under him, and the whisper of the breeze hitting the large screen brought him back to reality. He realized that everything he’d experienced was a simulation, but that didn’t mean his heart wasn’t racing. Or that his face wasn’t covered in sweat, too.
Lien removed the cup from his eye.
Kalan grinned up at him. “How’d I do?”
For a moment Lien’s face was unreadable, then he broke out in a wide smile. “Eighty-seven. Best in my lifetime.”
The crowd roared cheers and applauded.
He shakily stood up from his chair and put up a hand to calm the gathered Lavkins. He was a little embarrassed by the
big deal they were making about all this.
When the cheering started to die down, Mej stepped forward and addressed the crowd. “Kalan proved his ability to think creatively in the maze. He proved his ability to act quickly and take decisive action in the ravine, and he proved his selfless heroism in the hallway with the bomb. My friends, I am proud to officially announce that we have a true Bandian in our midst. Not only biologically, but also in heart, mind, and soul.”
The cheers started again and were even louder than before.
CHAPTER NINE
Walking onto this planet was like walking into a steamy bath. The journey from the space station had gone smoothly enough, and everyone was in a much better mood after their R&R.
But here it was hot and humid, and at the same time murky. The sky had a purple haze to it that made their surroundings difficult to discern. If not for the readings on the Grandeur, she would doubt there was a city directly ahead.
“Keep an eye out,” Valerie told Garcia and Flynn. “You two are responsible for this ship.”
"Nothing new there," Flynn replied with a grin. Arlay stood at his side, looking out at the planet as if curious but scared. It was best she stay back while Valerie and Robin explored, since the women could move at vampire speed if they had to.
“You’re the ones going out into that,” Garcia said with a hearty laugh. “I’ll be surprised if I ever see you again, honestly.”
“We have an invitation,” Valerie said, smiling and patting her rifle.
Arlay appeared at the doorway with her helmet on and glanced around nervously. Considering her position of power back on the moon of Tol, she sure was cautious out here on worlds she hadn’t traveled to before.
“Where do you need me?” Arlay asked.
Valerie thought about it, not sure how her kind would be accepted here. At least humans were mostly unknown, and therefore hadn’t had time to make many enemies. Who knew what the inhabitants of this world would think of Arlay with her tentacled, dangling skin?
“Tell you what,” Valerie said. “Maybe the three of you can defend the ship, but start doing scouting parties to see what else is around here?”
“You got it,” Arlay replied, ducking back inside quickly.
“Eager, huh?” Robin said with a laugh.
“Are you super-excited to walk blindly into this?” Valerie replied, gesturing to their surroundings.
“We’re not going blindly, not when the ship’s sensors show the city in that direction.” She pointed, but doubt was clearly visible in her eyes. All they could see was the haze, filled with looming shapes that could’ve been mountains or tall buildings.
“Let’s find out,” Valerie said with a wink, and took the lead. Robin shuffled up next to her a moment later, glancing around with trepidation.
“You know, when I first found out I’d be able to walk in the light again it was like taking that first breath after nearly drowning,” Robin said. “And then...Then you took me to space. We’ve been traveling for over a month since Tol, and now this.”
Valerie laughed. “You blame me for this?”
“Well, we could probably find justice to enforce on some island that’s more of a tropical paradise, right? You think baddies only live on horrible, desolate shit-holes?”
“Good question.” Valerie walked in silence, considering her question while trying to ignore a scent like overripe peaches that permeated the air here. “I think you could be right. Hell, that Pallicon place wasn’t so bad, right? And back in the old times, pirates would berth in tropical islands.”
“Wasn’t so long ago we were fighting people like that,” Robin said in a nostalgic way. “Now we’re up against aliens, robots, and an AI. Seriously? What. The. Fuck?”
“You’ve also gotten a worse mouth on you since this started,” Valerie observed.
“Goes with the territory, I guess.” Robin shrugged, but a look of worry came over her. “Don’t tell my parents, though, when we see them next. Just…you know.”
Valerie nodded, wondering if that “when” should be an “if.” The chance of Robin seeing her parents again wasn’t low, but when and how? They were out here to fight a war whose end they couldn’t see. At least, not the larger war’s end. This whole thing with the AI, sure; she could see that being over before too long. There wasn’t often an enemy who could stand up to her for long, so why should this be any different?
But she had to admit, the month of flying through space had given her time to think, and she missed the feeling of family she’d had around Sandra, Cammie, and the others back home. Robin’s presence gave her a different kind of comfort, or had, but since they’d agreed to not share a romantic relationship any more it hadn’t been the same. Valerie always felt that when they weren’t kicking bad guys’ asses, the situation was awkward. Friendly, yes—they were able to converse and have a good time, but in the back of Valerie’s mind, especially over the last week, she’d started wondering if she had agreed too easily.
A curious glance from Robin caused Valerie to realize she’d been staring, so she looked back up at the sky.
“What are they, do you think?”
“Those dark shapes?” Robin considered, and as they walked on the haze was parted by a ray of light, but only momentarily. “Ancient gods, frozen in place by the lack of sun this place gets?”
Valerie smiled at her friend. “You and your imagination.”
“You have a better idea?”
“Old mountains, carved away by acid rain?” She thought about it, watching one of the shadows. “Maybe massive— Oh shit!”
As she spoke one of them moved, lifting into the air and disappearing a moment later, followed by other movements masked by the haze.”
“No way did that just happen,” Robin said, freezing in her tracks at the same time as Valerie.
“I’m thinking we need to get off this planet as soon as possible.”
“Agreed.”
“Come on.” Valerie took the lead again. This time she was running, trying to keep their bearings but mostly not wanting to come close to those tall shadows in the haze. If something that big attacked her, she wasn’t so certain her enhancements would be enough to fight it off. It could be bug-based, more like a massive lizard, or even like a tiger. She had no idea, and didn’t want to find out.
They ran through the haze, leaping over ledges and mounds of clay-like earth. In some places old metal rods and tubes stuck out of the ground, as if a scrapyard had been buried here long ago. Their stamina kept them moving; neither worried about running out of breath anytime soon, and they were glad they had left Arlay behind.
“On your left,” Robin said, pointing and dodging right.
Valerie followed without bothering to look, but a glance over her shoulder made her glad she had. The haze shifted and a shadow moved through it, and then something that looked like a pillar of obsidian made contact with the ground, scattering clay as it lifted again and came down a second time.
“Holy hell,” she said, running sideways before turning to look where she was going. Her foot hit one of the ridges and she sprawled forward, face slamming into the ground.
“Incoming!” Robin shouted, and Valerie lifted her head as the woman scrambled to stop, then ran back and grabbed her. The two rolling aside as another of those massive legs—if that’s what they were—came at them.
One more roll and they were clear of it, though the clay showered down on them in red and orange clods. Now they had a better view, and it was clear this wasn’t an animal. More...metallic?
Valerie shared a look with Robin and the two were up, sprinting away as fast as possible. They nearly slammed into a third runner, this one tall and orange—a Lavkin. He was male, judging by the build and harsh features, and turned to them in shock.
“You don’t belong here!” he shouted, clutching something to his chest. He looked up at the shadows and squealed, pushing himself faster now. Valerie and Robin were able to overtake him easily, and saw wh
at he was running toward—a cave ahead.
“What the hell is that thing?” Valerie asked.
“You’re not with them?” the male replied.
“We’re with you, if you’re part of the closest city.”
He looked confused, but just shook his head and said, “As long as you’re not trying to kill me, I couldn’t give two Alrick’s hairs who you are. Follow me.”
With that he jumped and slid down a slope, and was up and into the cave a few seconds later. They followed more clumsily since they didn’t know the terrain, and as soon as they were in, the male turned back and hit something, shutting them in darkness.
The Lavkin turned to them, likely assuming they couldn’t see in the dark, and started to slowly and carefully back away.
“What’s he doing?” Robin asked, her tone amused.
“I think he’s trying to sneak off,” Valerie answered, and the Lavkin froze.
“You can see me?”
Valerie laughed. “Who are you, and what was that out there?”
After a moment, he said, “My name is Osh.” He lifted a corner of the package he clasped and placed his hand on what looked like a stone within, which began to glow brightly pink. He stepped forward, assessing the two. “And you?”
“Valerie, and this is Robin. You haven’t answered us.”
“I’m having a hard time understanding how you got here, and yet have no idea what the Glorock City is.”
“A city?” Robin asked. “I’m sorry, but...what?”
“You really aren’t from here?” Osh shook his head, looking utterly baffled. “We don’t get many visitors, unless…” His eyes went wide. “Oh, you’re...you’re with him.”
Valerie’s heart skipped a beat and she leaned forward. “Lolack, the leader of the Lost Fleet. You’ve heard of him?”
“He was here, yes...but no more.”
Valerie leaned back, deflated. “But someone might know where he went?”
“Yes, someone might.”
“And the Glorock thing?” Robin asked, still glancing back at the doorway occasionally as if it would blast open at any moment.
