by C B Williams
“Max. It’s Wren. There’s time.”
“I’ll send others to release the prisoners.” He nodded at the martials.
“No.”
Mouse’s voice stopped them.
“I don’t trust anyone else to go. They’re my friends.” She explained, then wheeled and dashed off the bleachers and back into the building, into the flood of humanity streaming out of it. It reminded her of the crowded streets back on Spur during the busy hours. Only difference was the scent of fear permeating her nostrils as those sweeping the building told them to hurry.
A siren emitted two short blasts and the remaining people began to run.
There wasn’t much time.
Damn Max and his grandiose statements.
It was impossible to get into a lift. They had been sealed. She looked wildly about for another way down. Spying the closest stairwell, she streaked down the flight of stairs toward the building’s basement, taking them two at a time. She turned a corner, pushed open the prison’s heavy steel door and stood, panting, her stomach dropping at what she saw.
In the weak light of overhead naked bulbs all she saw were doors. Identical, thick, metal doors like the one she’d just slammed open.
“Wren!” she screamed and began pounding on the closest one.
No answer, so she repeated the action on the next. And the next.
She heard rustling behind the third and when she opened it, the small hope that had sparked in her extinguished.
There wasn’t much time.
“Building’s going to blow! Get out! Run!” She shouted at the skinny occupants behind the door, but didn’t wait to see if they did.
She continued calling and banging on doors, freeing those she found, until, at last, her call was answered by a familiar voice. Quickly she pushed open the door.
“Wren.” She felt her lips curl up as relief flooded her. “You just had to be behind the final door, didn’t you?”
Wren moved to embrace her friend while the others surrounded them, curious about why it was Mouse who released them from their prison.
Mouse held out her arms and shook her head. “No time. Building’s about to be demoed. Need to get out!” She grabbed Wren’s hand and yanked her through the door. “Run!” She shouted to the others, and raced away, dragging Wren behind her.
They ran.
The siren’s wail sounded faintly through the thick prison walls.
“Faster!” she shouted again, and hoped there was enough time.
“Genji,” Wren shouted from behind, still gripping her hand, “You and Kalea get Spider out of here.”
“But—” Mouse heard Genji begin a protest.
“Just do it,” Wren ordered in that tone of hers that always resulted in instant obedience. She pulled Mouse to a halt and wrapped her arms around her.
“Wren, we’ve got to run.”
“Trust me,” Wren whispered in her ear.
Something whooshed by, slamming them against the wall.
Mouse craned her neck and saw two large shapes blocking what little light there was. They passed by so quickly all she could make out were claws and fangs. “Wren…?”
“Hush, Mouse. I’m concentrating.”
A deep rumble filled the corridor, followed by a roiling cloud of dust and debris, while the building shuddered and groaned like an animal in its death throes.
Mouse’s heart stuttered as her chest vibrated from shock waves. She felt the wall she’d been thrown against begin to disintegrate into nothingness.
Just when I found love was all she could think. Then, when she realized what she’d just thought, Max.
A terrible wave of grief engulfed her.
Then Eloch was there. She could tell it was him by his size and his staff, which glowed and created a golden orb of protection around the three of them. Wren’s arms loosened as she straightened, but Mouse clung to her. She didn’t know if it was for balance or for reassurance.
Too much happening too fast.
The sound was deafening as all about them fragments of stone and steel rained down.
Then silence and smoke.
Her ears rang.
Their dome of protection vanished.
Mouse released Wren and watched her friend turn into Eloch’s embrace. Reassured Wren was safe, she stared through the dust and smoke at the wreckage and the heaps of rubble and mangled metal, all that remained of the once-ostentatious government building.
She coughed.
Dust and rubble.
So much, so fast.
Out of the haze a lone figure picked its way through the piles of twisted debris. When it saw her, it called her name with a voice she never thought to hear again.
Her knees gave way just as Max wrapped his arms around her. His hands were everywhere, patting and gently prodding to make sure she really was all in one piece. Then he was kissing her again and again while she felt his tears on her own cheeks.
Finally Max took a shuddering breath and held Mouse at arm’s length. His expression was one of relief, anger, and love.
So much love.
“Don’t. You. Ever. Do. That. Again.” he said, pausing after each word. “Or I will be forced to kill you myself.”
And then he resumed kissing her, and she hoped he’d never stop.
THE END
The Entean Saga continues with Book Four, Vision Dreaming. Turn the page to keep reading.
Episode Four: Vision Dreaming
About the Book
Vision Dreaming, the final adventure of the Entean Saga …
One planetary Sister has died, Her life force drained away by what the Sisters have named Something That Comes.
Time is of the essence.
Eloch and his crew must travel as quickly as possible to the neighboring galaxy of Vela Kentaurus and stop whatever the death-bringing Something That Comes is.
They wait only for their final crew member—a gift from the planet Talamh—the young woman Perin, a Seer, who interprets her True Dreams and Visions to provide wisdom for a safe passage across galaxies.
But all Perin sees for Eloch is death.
Prologue
Across light-years, the Planetary Consciousness of Longwei reaches out.
Entean!
(A pause.)
Longwei, my Planetary Sister.
Did you feel it?
(A pause.)
Yes. Our Planetary Sister in the Vela Kentaurus galaxy has ceased to exist. She is gone from us.
How many more, Entean? How many more?
(A pause.)
Our Champion. He must save the remaining. He must leave now.
Yes. It is time.
(A pause.)
It is past time.
Yes.
(A pause.)
I fear.
Chapter 1
Letting Go
Aboard the colonizer interstellar ship, the Valiant
Grale stormed into the science labs, nearly colliding with Spider, who was unpacking a container of test tubes and putting them away.
“Hey!” Spider scolded as he dodged out of the way. “I nearly dropped these. These tubes are glass. Very fragile and hard to come by. And expensive. You should know.”
Grale ignored him and charged over to where Genji sat, bent over his info-console. He whipped Genji’s chair around, gripped both armrests, and leaned over the startled science officer. “Where is it?” he growled.
Genji’s nostrils flared and he shoved at one of Grale’s arms. “Where is what? Calm down, Grale.” Genji narrowed his eyes, looking somewhat predatory.
Grale repositioned his hand on the armrest and leaned in closer. “Aiko and I just spent three days dirtside,” he said between gritted teeth. “Three effing days haggling over your precious state-of-the-art instruments that you couldn’t travel without and needed yesterday. And what do you do in those three days?” he yelled, his face red.
Genji frowned when flecks of spittle landed on his cheek.
“I’d be careful, there, Grale,” Spider warned. “You don’t want Genji going all Nuri on you.”
Grale locked eyes with Genji. “I don’t care if he turns into a bloody sniffer,” he growled. “This module stuff stops,” he stated, poking Genji’s chest.
Genji hissed and half rose from his seat. “And if it doesn’t?”
“What’s going on, boys?” Wren asked mildly, leaning against the doorframe. Little Sister, her sniffer, hovered at Wren’s side, the huge carnivore’s smooth black head at waist level.
Aiko stood behind the pair scowling, hands on her hips.
The two men looked up.
Wren crossed her good leg over her animated limb and cocked a brow. “Care to share?”
“I told you to wait,” Aiko said, glaring at Grale. “Why couldn’t you wait just ten minutes, so I could get Wren down here before you went all macho?”
Grale glared back. “Well, Kitten,” he drawled, “I guess I just wasn’t in the mood to wait, now was I?”
“So what’s up?” Wren asked again. “And Grale, I think it’d be wise if you give Genji a little space.”
“Fine,” Grale said, pushed himself away from the chair to whirl and slam his fist against a cabinet door.
Something inside tinkled .
“Test tubes!” Spider snapped. “Hard to get and costly, remember?”
Grale ran his hand through his already untidy hair and stared at Spider. “Oh, fuck it,” he said, shaking his head as he shoved past the lab tech. “I can’t deal with this right now.”
He began to push past Wren.
The giant sniffer rumbled a warning from deep in her chest. “Hush, Little Sister,” Wren said and rested her hand on Grale’s arm. “I know you’re tired, Grale,” she said softly, “and I have an idea what might have set you off. Aiko mentioned—”
“We couldn’t find the bloody Navigation Bridge,” Grale roared, “We’re gone for three days, and they go move it on us. No warning. No courtesy call. Nothing. We had to wander the whole circumference of this rust bucket—”
“We could have asked someone,” Aiko interrupted. “There are com links all over the place.”
“We shouldn’t have had to ask someone, Kitten,” he growled. “That’s the point. It’s the Navigation Bridge! It’s our domain. They should have asked us if they could move it. It’s not right.”
Aiko threw up her hands, “Hey, don’t get all shouty at me, Cowboy,” she said, her voice rising, “I’m on your side over this.”
“And you’re not on the Committee,” Genji called from his chair. “We don’t need to ask you.”
Wren squeezed Grale’s arm. “That’s enough!” she commanded, her voice slicing through the cacophony of raised voices. “Grale, unclench your fist. Genji, stop with the lizard eyes. And you, Spider, for the love of God, close that cabinet and quit inspecting the test tubes. It’s not helping.”
She released her hold on Grale’s arm and waited for two beats. “Thank you,” she said. “Now then, here’s what we’re going to do. I will personally take Aiko and Grale to the Navigation Bridge. Then they will freshen up, and we will all meet in two hours at the usual place.” She glanced at Grale and Aiko, “No, the galley module wasn’t moved this time. It’s still near our sleeping modules.”
“Be still my heart,” Grale scoffed.
Wren ignored him. “We will all sit down and have a civilized conversation. In the meantime, Genji, will you round up the rest of the crew and tell them to come to the meeting?”
Genji nodded, his pupils having returned to normal. “Eloch too?”
Wren hesitated. “I’ll touch base with Eloch.” She shrugged. “He’ll either be there or he won’t. But either way, we’re going to resolve this situation.”
“Thank the stars,” Grale said. “I am so sick of this bloody Module Migration.”
“Hey!” Spider said, “We just want it right.”
Wren held up her hands. “Boys,” she warned, “we’ll all talk this through in two hours.” She looked up at Grale, then glanced over at Aiko. “Let’s go.”
The corridor snaking around the perimeter of the Valiant, their interstellar ship, was wide enough for all three to walk abreast as Little Sister trotted ahead, her paws clicking in rhythm with her trot. “I really need to file those claws again,” Wren said, making small talk. “She is starting to skid around corners during my morning runs.”
Aiko nodded. “Can’t get enough of a grip.”
“So, when you’re doing your running thing, how come you don’t get lost with all these migrations going on?” Grale asked.
Wren laughed. “But I do. As soon as I get it all sorted out, something gets moved. I suppose I could look at the new schematics Spider always posts, but where’s the fun in that? It reminds me of my days in SubCity when I learned all the tunnels in my KinLands.”
“I’m telling you,” Grale said, “they really need to stop.”
“Yeah,” Aiko agreed. “This Navigation Bridge thing has finished it for me.”
“I couldn’t agree with you two more,” Wren said. “Speaking of which, here we are.” She came to a halt beside Little Sister, who stood waiting, “Your Navigation Bridge.”
Grale glanced at the sniffer. “How did she know where it was?” he asked.
“Smell,” Wren said. “Little Sister informs me it smells like the two of you.”
Grale lift a brow and shrugged.
“I wish Spur had gifted me with a keener sense of smell,” Aiko said, “like She gifted you with the ability to communicate.” She glanced over at Grale, “But then again…” she drawled.
Grale scowled at her. “I smell just fine.”
“I beg to differ,” Aiko said.
“Don’t you two want to go in now you’re here?” Wren asked.
Grale swept his hand over the door panel, which slid open. “After you, ladies.”
Aiko raised a brow before she strode into the module. Little Sister followed Wren in and began to nose around.
“What is it?” Wren asked just as Aiko gasped.
Grale came up alongside the two women, took one look inside, and wheeled around. “That does it,” he said. “I’m not waiting no two hours. I’m dealing with this now.”
“Stop!” Wren barked.
Grale stopped.
“You are going to wait, Grale,” she said quietly. “You’re going to go to your room module and clean up, and then we’ll all meet as planned.”
“I don’t need to clean up,” Grale scowled.
“Yes, you do,” Wren said. “You smell like dirtside.”
“Dirtside? What does that mean?”
“It means,” Aiko said, “that you smell like cheap alcohol and women. And nobody needs to be gifted with a keener sense of smell to notice it.”
Grale lifted his eyes heavenward, “What did I ever do to deserve this?” he moaned. “Just because I know how to have a little fun while I can,” he muttered. “Fine. I will see you in two hours, smelling blossom sweet,” he said, making his way to the exit.
He paused and glanced over his shoulder at Wren, “Uhhh, which way?”
“To the right.”
“The right. Okay.”
Wren waited until the sound of Grale’s footsteps had faded. “Grale seems more out of sorts than usual,” she said to Aiko.
Aiko nodded. “It was a rough three days. Lots of price gouging going on.” She turned to Wren. “Just make sure Genji and Spider thank Grale because he worked hard getting that equipment for them. I gotta hand it to him.”
She swept her hand around the room. “Then all this, and especially that.” She pointed at the pilot chair. “I’m pretty livid myself, truth be told.”
Wren linked arms with her, “Come on, then. Let’s get you smelling like a blossom, too, and then resolve our problems.”
They sat on separate sides of the table. On one side Kalea sat beside Genji, her hand on his arm. Mink was wedged between Spider and Wade. On the other side
of the table sat Aiko and Grale.
Grale leaned over to Aiko, his thick hair still damp from his shower. “Do I smell blossomy enough for you, Princess?”
“Ugh.” She pushed him away.
“Eloch won’t be joining us,” Wren said as she took her place at the table’s head, a mug of tea in her hand. “So let’s begin.” She glanced around the table and grinned. “You know, you might be a little more comfortable if you all spread out a bit.”
“But we’re the Committee,” Genji said solemnly.
“And I need to be by Genji to help him calm his Nuri,” Kalea explained.
Wren’s grin widened. “It’s okay for the Committee to be split up. We know who you are.” She sobered, “Look, this isn’t an ‘us versus them’ thing. Mink, you and Wade move over to the other side. Get comfy.”
“We’ve showered,” Grale said, waving them over “We smell all blossomy over here. Hey, Wade, can you bring me whatever you’re having?” he added as Wade moved to the beverage unit with an empty glass in his hand.
“It’s just H2O,” Wade said.
“Sounds perfect, thanks,” Grale said. “I’m buying.”
Wade snorted and shook his straight dark hair out of his eyes. “Be right back,” he said.
Wren caught Grale’s eye and nodded.
He winked.
As Spider, Genji, and Kalea rearranged themselves, Mink took a seat by Aiko. She leaned over and sniffed. “Blossoms!” she said, her green eyes dancing.
“I think we need to get a new fragrance of washing liquid,” Aiko laughed.
“Dirtside might be nice,” Grale offered.
Wren chuckled.
Wade returned, handed Grale a glass of water, and sat.
“Everyone comfy?” asked Wren.
“Very comfy, thank you,” Spider said dryly.
“Okay, then,” Wren said. “Grale, I believe you have an issue?”
“We both do,” Aiko said before Grale could respond. “Where is the second pilot’s chair?” she demanded, fixing her gaze on Genji.
