by Mimi Riser
* * *
Just as the RATs, at one end of the galaxy, had not known of Gaeas-7’s rebellion at the other end, the Gaeans had been too busy with their own battles to have heard anything of the RATs. Discovering they were not alone in their struggles provided a much needed morale boost to both rebel groups.
Of course, the Gaeans knew nothing of the RAT fleet as yet, but Zen was certain they would rejoice when they did.
The young Mage lay curled on a berth on the cruiser, fighting sleep. Zen had not had any rest in days, yet did not want any now. Blame it on youthful excitement. The great ship thrummed with energy as RATs raced about readying for the journey to Gaeas-7. Home. And Zen was only fifteen galactic-standard years old. Still a child, apparently, in Captain Hardn’s eyes, despite the fact that Mages matured early—at least mentally. Zen was a bit of a late bloomer in other areas. That was what had made Xu-fu, noting the absence of certain curves, mistakenly declare her a male.
Poor Captain Hardn. He had been surprised to learn the truth. He did say it explained the kiss, though. Then at the first opportunity, he had handed her over to a tall Titan called Bres, to be put to bed like a babe. It had done no good to tell him she was already an experienced veteran of the Gaean defense force and well used to the rigors of war.
“Then you ought to be used to taking orders, too,” he had replied. “You’re dead on your feet, and no wonder. Nobody can handle a cruiser without help. Lie down before you fall down. Don’t worry, you won’t miss anything. Even after we enter hyperspace, we’ve still got a few days of travel. Relax and enjoy the ride. I’ll page you from the bridge when we reach Gaeas-7.”
Oh, no fear of that. Awake or asleep, she would sense when they were near and “page” herself. She would have reached home in any case, even without the RATs, and regardless of Captain Hardn’s belief that no one could fly a star-cruiser solo. A Mage could. Especially a Mage trained by Tao.
Zen rolled from her side onto her back and levitated horizontally an arm’s length above the berth. A relaxation technique Temple-Mother Tao had taught her. Not all Mages could perform it so effortlessly. But then, not all Mages had tiny Tao of the giant mind for their personal mentor. Only Zen, in fact. And only once had she asked Tao why she alone had been singled out for such auspicious instruction.
“Because you are destined for an auspicious job.”
“What job?”
“I cannot tell you, Zen, for I do not know, myself. I know only that it is part of my destiny to help you prepare for yours. Fate will reveal the rest when it is time.”
Fate had better hurry then, for there was precious little time left.
Unless…
Was that her destiny? To bring hope to the galaxy by bringing Gaeas-7 and the RAT fleet together?
Hmm…it did seem as though Fate had led her into the RATs’ territory. But that would imply her “job” was now basically finished. And somehow Zen sensed it had not even begun yet.
Weighted with questions, she sank back onto the berth. The answers she sought hovered before her, just out of reach, just out of sight. Try as she might, she could not coax them into clear view. Her mind, usually so sharp, seemed dull and filled with fog.
“Captain Hardn was right,” she murmured. “I am tired.”
So tired she felt like she could dissolve into dust. So she did. Briefly. Then pulled her scattered particles back together again—another little trick she had learned at the Temple. Oh yes, exhausted or not, she was full of tricks. But not the sort that won wars. Now if she could turn Kronos Kkrypt into dust…
But not even Mother Tao could do that.
If Mages could kill with a thought, the whole Imperial Federation might be dust by now. And the Mages would be little better than the butchers they had destroyed. So Zen was glad they did not have that kind of power. Slaughter was not the way. What she really wanted was the power to stop people from killing. The VORs had managed it. But how, precisely. There was a trick she would love to learn. How had the vanished VORs kept the peace for so long?
While wondering…wondering…she sensed the cruiser slip out of mooring-orbit and start to accelerate for the jump into hyperspace that would carry them across the galaxy faster than the speed of light.
Homeward bound…
Now she could sleep.
