by S. E. Weir
She felt someone stop just behind and to one side of her. Knowing who it was, she decided to venture a query. “Do you think they will agree to come?”
“They will.”
A small smile played on her mouth as she moved her eyes in Link’s direction though she couldn’t see him. “You seem very sure.”
“Of course.”
She heard Ryan whisper behind her some distance away, likely standing by the table where the food waited for them. “Can we just hit something to decide for them?” The other Guardians laughed quietly with him, making it sound like an inside joke.
She let out a sigh, briefly closing her eyes. The itchy buzz was almost overwhelming. “Then we wait.”
“A lot of diplomacy can happen while waiting.”
She turned to see Link watching the Gleeks, though he smiled slightly to acknowledge her attention.
“Waiting is not my favorite thing.”
He turned his head to look at her then, brown eyes searching, then he gave her a brief nod. “I know.”
Phina sighed as she turned back to watch the eerie movements of the aliens they were trying to convince not to go to war. She remembered waiting years ago to hear that her parents were on their way back home from the war on the Karillian planet, only to be hugely disappointed.
“I hate waiting.”
Though she whispered the words, she heard Link respond.
“I know.”
You can’t be serious!
I am very serious, Brother Traekor. She is showing signs of being twaen. If you don’t believe me, check her for yourself.
You know I and most of us here do not have the skills in telepathy that you do, Brother Braeden. That makes it very easy for you to say whatever you wish and tell us it’s true.
A third voice cut in. If I may make a suggestion. Though I don’t have the same level of skill, I believe my abilities are strong enough to verify it to be true, though it may pain the human female.
Thank you, Brother Draeget. We should be careful, but I believe verifying this would be worth the pain for her.
Yes, fine. Traekor’s mental voice sounded almost sullen.
Within a minute, their eyes were pointed toward the group of humans. The young female clutched her head in pain, then showed immediate relief as Draeget drew back. The Imperial males all reached out to her in concern while the oldest human male looked sharply at the Gleeks, his mouth tight.
I believe the evidence is now incontrovertible. She is twaen. Brother Klaeget’s announcement was stated firmly.
How does this happen?
I’m not certain, Brother Bleuven, but I hope to find out more about her and ascertain some of the reasons she is able to do this on the way to the Balderian planet. Unless there are objections, I will also ask the female if she would like to be trained.
A female human… Traekor’s words trailed off as he realized the rest were in agreement. He fell silent, but his expression made his displeasure known. Braeden was surprised but also grateful that they were now listening to his thoughts rather than ignoring them.
Brother Klaeget’s eyes flicked to Braeden, responding to his words. So, you believe we should send a group with theirs?
I do. He nodded imperceptibly but spoke firmly now that they were finally accepting his thoughts. It sounds like the Empire has some evidence that what they say is true and is trying to find more to come to a definite verdict. If there is a possibility that this involves only a small group of people, do you not think we owe it to the innocent to make sure we have the guilty parties involved? If we can avoid war, do you not think it’s worth the time to make sure? War is costly. I do not think we are ready for another one.
Silence fell as they all recalled the war three hundred years earlier that they were just getting over the consequences of in some ways. Even worse had been the loss of a number of Gleeks. With their population dwindling, Braeden knew war was not worth the risk. He also knew Traekor wouldn’t let it go so easily.
The Baldere insulted us and stole two of our number! I do not think letting that go is worth the risk either!
Of course not, Brother Traekor. Braeden had surprised himself with how smoothly he interjected. Which is why going with these representatives of the Empire is the best move to make. Since the Baldere have joined the Empire, any move against the Baldere is a move against the Empire. Going with their people provides a level of protection as well as using their resources. It is logical and sensible. Also, do you really want to move forward with plans that put us against the Empire? Their Empress isn’t known for letting insults go either.
Half the group shuddered, and the other half put up a hand and made a warding motion. That caused Braeden to smile.
No one in these systems wanted to go up against Empress Bethany Anne after she had punished a whole planet’s worth of Leath on Marrek for disrespect to a handful of her people.
Then again, there were some lines you just didn’t cross.
Chapter Twenty-One
Etheric Empire, QBS Stark
Phina padded down the corridor of the ship in bare feet. The metal felt cool but not unwelcome and rather soothing. She couldn’t help feeling she had missed something at some point, and it bothered her. After tossing and turning to no avail, she decided a walk might help, and maybe talking to Stark for a while on the bridge. It felt odd to talk to the EI in her room in a way that it hadn’t been for ADAM.
She heard voices ahead.
“I’m telling you, with that big brain of yours and my quantum processing power, we could discover new and amazing things that will blow minds away! Don’t you want to figure out some of the mysteries of the universe?”
“Yes. This is why my people travel all over to different worlds. We seek knowledge and understanding so that we might know those mysteries.”
Phina entered the bridge to find Brother Braeden sitting on one of the seats, talking to Stark. His bare feet shuffled every so often, drawing attention to his four toes. His elongated arms rested in his lap. Stark’s avatar looked up as she approached. “Ah, Genius Girl. Come and help me persuade this tall, slim, and brainy alien to let go and live a little.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You mean, to go discover new planets and civilizations? To boldly go where no alien has gone before?”
“Precisely.” He grinned.
“I’m sure Brother Braeden knows what is best for him to do.”
Stark shook his head as he tutted. “You’re killing me here, Genius Girl.”
“Actually, you could just call me Braeden. The term ‘brother’ is just used by us Gleeks.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
Braeden nodded slowly. “Of course. We keep to ourselves when we aren’t seeking out new information, so there aren’t many who know more about us.” He turned to view Stark’s avatar again. “I must say that I find your EIs and AIs fascinating. We haven’t interacted with many beings of your kind.”
Stark struck a hero pose. “You know it, alien wizard!”
Braeden’s green eyes turned puzzled as he dipped his elongated head to the side. “I am not a lizard.”
“A wizard! Come on! You two are no fun.” After pouting, Stark’s avatar winked out.
“The Gleeks that met us at the shuttle, Kroeden and Draeget, told us you seek every kind of information. That seems like an awful lot. There isn’t anything more specific?”
His bright green eyes assessed her as he tilted his head to the side. “There is, but it’s not something we usually talk about with others. Perhaps at some point I’ll share with you, but only for your knowledge.”
Phina eyed the alien, confused as to why he might share information with her specifically, but she didn’t want to pry if he wasn’t ready to talk about it. He brought his long fingers together and looked thoughtful.
“Actually, I was hoping to speak to you about another matter of interest.”
“All right.” She sat across from him. Perhaps he would
explain why he had given her those strange looks earlier.
His eyes grew even more focused, causing him to appear solemn and intense. “Earlier today, you were rubbing your head. Could you explain why you would do so?”
As Phina described the itchy pain she’d felt, he asked follow-up questions. He finished with a nod and what would have been a grunt in another male, but his voice didn’t sound guttural enough.
“What I suspect is that your brain is sensitive to the mental wavelength my brothers and I use when we speak to one another.”
Phina’s eyes widened. The Gleeks were telepathic; that made a lot of sense. “So, I’m picking up those…brain waves? But what makes me sensitive to it when the others are not?”
“I suspect it has to do with how your brain formed. Do you find it easy to learn and retain information? Often at a much higher rate than those around you?”
Her hands tightened on her chair. “Yes.”
“We have seldom found people outside of our species who can connect to us telepathically. However, the few who can share those traits with us. It has to do with how your brain receives and processes information. You are able to tune in to the same frequency that we do.”
“If I am able to tune in to it, then why do I only have that itchy feeling instead of hearing you?”
He was silent a moment before responding. “Have you ever listened at a door to try to hear what other people are saying?”
“Yes.”
“Depending on the door, you know people are talking, but you can’t hear the specific words. Another example is a bubble. Inside the bubble are thoughts and words flying around. You are leaning up against that bubble, but you are not inside of it. However, if you were not leaning against the bubble, you wouldn’t even know it existed. That is the state of most beings when it comes to our telepathy.”
“I think I understand. I am aware of it, but I cannot hear it.”
“Rather, you have the potential to hear it. You just haven’t connected into it yet.”
Her heart leaped with interest. “Yet? That means I could hear you and speak to you at some point?”
He nodded but paused as his penetrating gaze seemed to stare into her soul. “Yes. I could teach you if you would like?”
Phina was quiet. It might be helpful to have such an ability when they reached Vermott, especially if the Baldere were still intent on ambushing the Gleeks as they had the lost brothers.
“May I ask a question?”
Braeden nodded.
“Why do you refer to your brothers as lost? You mentioned earlier it is worse than death.”
His serene expression turned downcast, and Phina mentally kicked herself for bringing it up. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”
He held up one of his four-fingered hands. “It is all right. It is not a secret necessarily, just not usually discussed. Our people are not born as you are, and when we die, it is not the end of us.”
“You mean like—what’s it called when you live again?—reincarnation?”
He tilted his head in thought before meeting her eyes. “I believe the concept is similar, but the practice is very different than what you mean. We live quite a long time, and when we die, our bodies are given to the Mother. It is our name for a machine that our people created long ago. The knowledge of how to create them has been kept a secret from all but one of our number and is passed on upon death. Such knowledge is one of the few things that only a single Gleek knows, and we don’t usually discuss it with those outside.
“Back to your question. When our bodies are given to the Mother, they are broken down into their most basic components. The Mother builds a Gleek from the matter of the previous Gleek, infusing the new body with energy and life.”
Phina didn’t know what expression showed on her face, but she felt stunned and speechless. Braeden shook his head.
“It is a sad thing for our people to lose even one member, and it’s been some time since the last unfortunate incident. To lose two of us is a terrible tragedy. There is no recompense great enough for that loss. It is why my brothers have been so adamant about going to war.”
She couldn’t even imagine how they must feel. Their way of living was very different from the human way, but it sounded beautiful at the same time. “I’m terribly sorry about your loss. We will do all we can to help you.”
“Thank you. I know some of my brothers are still having thoughts about war, but I appreciate every opportunity to find any other option.”
Phina could appreciate that as well. She just hoped they found enough evidence to change their minds.
Etheric Empire, QBS Stark
“What are you guys doing awake already?”
Phina started and looked up to see Link entering the bridge. His hair looked mussed as if he had just woken up, and the yawn gave a clue as well.
“It’s morning already?”
“Well, you know it’s hard to say out here in space, but I suppose you could call it morning since it would be considered so on the MR.”
She shook her head, amazed at how quickly the time had flown, though she began to feel it as she too yawned.
“What have you been doing? Did you stay up all night?”
Phina explained as quickly and simply as possible the revelations she had found out concerning her, and that Braeden had taught her how to connect to their mental wavelength. It had taken hours to feel like she had gotten anywhere, but once she had it, a place in her mind clicked, amazing her with how right it felt. She had been having a mental conversation with Braeden and the other astonished Gleeks on the ship when Link walked in.
“Amazing! I suspected as much, but this is fantastic. Could I learn how to do it too?” Link seemed intrigued by the prospect.
Braeden shook his head. “I’m afraid not, Greyson Wells. As I told Seraphina last night, unless you are touching the bubble, you don’t even know it exists. If your brain doesn’t know it exists, then you won’t be able to learn how to break through.”
Link sulked a little. “But I know it exists now, so why can’t I learn to find it?”
“You are familiar with the phrase ‘tone-deaf,’ correct? This would be where no matter what you try, you can’t stay on the right pitch when you sing or try to create music. It is similar here. No matter what you did, you would not be able to figure it out because your brain just doesn’t work the same way.”
Drk-vaen had quietly come in during the explanation and sat down in his seat, seeming interested in the conversation. “It sounds like you are saying that Phina’s brain is the one that doesn’t work the same way.”
Braeden nodded his head. “You could say as much, yes.”
Phina hadn’t really thought about it before, but this was yet another way she was different from those around her. She had gotten used to the loneliness of being the odd person out as she grew up. She had always felt like she needed to hide what made her different, but there was only so much she could do to hide her higher intelligence, agility, focus, and health. Even her strength was greater than it should have been, though it wasn’t as pronounced as recalling most of what she read so she didn’t need to study while the other kids were struggling. Alina had been the best friend and sister she could have ever had, but even her friendship couldn’t stem the loneliness that came from feeling like she was different than the other kids.
She had come face to face with being different yet again since what she had declared in class about the Gleeks and the Baldere had become known. Her fellow students had begun calling her “the whiz kid.” Phina could have kept silent, but some part of her had felt compelled to say something because she knew there was a problem. That basically summed up her life so far: stay quiet until there was a problem she could do something about, then figure out what she needed to do to solve it.
Was that the best way to live? It seemed reactionary now that she had been thinking about it and gained more experience in the last weeks. She had expanded the people she kne
w many times over since the fateful day Phinalina went on their final childhood mission together and met Todd, John Grimes, the General, and Anna Elizabeth. Link had been teaching her skills that would help her live as a diplomat and a spy, but while he kept himself apart a lot, he also never seemed to hesitate to pull people in when they were needed.
It certainly provided food for thought.
Even as she was drawn into her own mental musings, part of her stayed aware of the conversation around her. Situational awareness, of course. She had taken lesson number four to heart and tried to stand ready to defend herself no matter the situation. It was still sinking in, but she knew situational awareness was the first step.
Just as she was about to throw a teasing comment toward Link, she heard the ping that signaled a message and pulled her tablet out to read it.
Dear Phina, thank you for your message the other day. I’m glad to know you aren’t dead or run off with an alien. I have to tell you something that may upset you. I feel it is my duty as your guardian and aunt, as well as what is best for you.
You need to drop your friendship with that Were you told me about. It’s too dangerous! Those Weres are not to be trusted and I just know that something horrible will happen to you just as it happened to my brother, your mother, and my dear Simon! All the troubles in our family can be laid at their feet! You MUST cut all ties with them and stay away from them for your own safety!
Phina couldn’t believe what her aunt was saying; she felt more confused than ever. Aunt Faith hadn’t looked happy during their conversation, but she hadn’t said anything to make her think her aunt had disliked the Wechselbalg that much. Granted, neither of them had had much contact with them before recent events, which she now realized had likely been by her aunt’s design, but to say that Wechselbalg were not to be trusted? And all of them, not just certain ones in the species. It smacked of racism or speciesism or whatever the appropriate term would be for an enhanced human. And just how did her aunt “know” the Wechselbalg were responsible for their family dying? It didn’t make sense.
