by C B Williams
Genji nodded and glanced around the room. “There was an anomaly,” he began.
“An anomaly?” Spider asked with a scowl. “What kind of an anomaly?”
“Something we didn’t feel was serious enough to warrant waking you all up for,” Genji replied.
Grale snorted, “Yet, here we are, all awake.”
“Exactly!” Spider said. “This has to do with Eloch, we all know that. I think that’s pretty serious since we’ve become so dependent upon him for our very survival.”
Genji glared at the two, his pupils beginning to slit as he hissed softly.
“Okay, okay,” Aiko said, raising her hand. “Calm the lizard down, Genj. Let’s all take a breath here. The anomaly was just a blip on our readouts that moved in and out of our sensors’ detection. We determined it to be more of a curiosity than a threat. In fact, we weren’t even sure whether it was real or some glitch. We really couldn’t tell.”
“But what we could tell,” Genji said, taking up the narration, “was that it appeared to be moving in our general direction.”
“At a leisurely pace,” Aiko added. “Again, no cause for concern.”
“We had a meeting,” Genji said. “And we decided to set up an orbit, wait, and collect data.”
“Eloch said he felt hunted,” Aiko said.
“And you still didn’t think to wake us?” Spider asked.
“It was discussed,” Aiko answered. “We believed we had it covered, and why disrupt your cycle if we didn’t need to, right?”
“Yesterday,” Genji said, “Kalea, Wade, and I were running through our systems when Aiko called us from the Bridge to tell us the anomaly was back. When we arrived, Eloch and Wren were already there. According to the readouts, the thing was right on us, but there was absolutely nothing on the viewing screen.”
“Cloaked?” asked Grale.
“No pings,” Aiko said, shaking her head.
“Kalea and I were watching the readouts, following its path, when—pow!—Perin shouts for Eloch to duck and Wren pushes him. Eloch staggers like he was smacked into by one of us in Nuri form. Perin faints, then Eloch collapses. We bring them both down here and pull you three out of Cryo. And that’s all we know.”
Genji looked at Spider, Mink, and Grale. “We’ve waited for us all to be together before we try to science this out.” He put a hand on Perin’s shoulder. “We’ve scanned Perin here, and she’s medically sound. Eloch is another story. He’s groggy and appears to be in some discomfort. Yet we can’t find a reason.”
“Why did you tell Eloch to duck, Perin?” Spider asked, turning toward her.
Perin’s hand fluttered to her face, where she brushed at a stray strand of hair. “It was my True Dream,” she said. “I saw everything through my True Dream’s vision.” She looked at them, her eyes shining. “I could see. The way I used to, with my eyes. For the first time since I became a Seer for The Lady.”
She turned toward Genji and grasped Kalea’s hand. “I saw you. I saw both of you.” Her head whipped around toward Aiko. “And you, Aiko. Not your energy signatures, but how eyes see others.” She shook her head at the memory. “You are all so beautiful.”
She paused and took a deep breath. “But the vision showed me more, some things I can’t understand and don’t seem possible. Yet I assure you, they were very real.”
Kalea squeezed Perin’s hand. “What else did you see, Perin?”
“I can only describe it as a ghost ship. I saw a ghost ship.”
“A ghost ship? What do you mean?” Spider wondered.
“A-a ship. I don’t know what else to call it. Smaller than ours. Much smaller. And it moved through our ship. Like a ghost, only I could see people on it—uniformed people—and they were as real as you and I. Just as solid.”
Aiko looked at Genji. “The anomaly?”
Genji shrugged. “Possibly. Likely, but how?”
“I may be able to answer that. Something I was studying way back on Spur, but let’s let Perin finish telling us what she saw,” Spider said.
Perin nodded. “Okay. Next, I saw what the people on the ghost ship were intending. I shouted for Eloch to duck, and Wren pushed him like we’d planned. Because Wren pushed Eloch, they weren’t able to kill him, but they still wounded him badly.”
“How did they wound him?” Grale asked sharply.
“They shot him with...a...I don’t know what to call it...a spike? It is shaped like a long spike, and it flashes.”
“And you can see it?” Genji asked.
Perin nodded. “If it’s still in his shoulder, I will be able to see it, yes.”
Mink glanced at Wade, eyebrows raised.
With an I don’t know shrug, Wade said, “I helped stabilize Eloch, and there is no flashing spike sticking out of him, although he keeps reaching toward his right shoulder and he’s favoring it when he moves.”
“That’s the side,” Perin said. “That’s where the flashing spike is.”
“A ghost spike?” Aiko asked. “No, I’m not making a joke.” she said when she saw the others’ reactions. “I’m just saying, wouldn’t ghost ships shoot ghost spikes?”
Genji raised a brow at Spider. “Something you want to add?”
Spider nodded. “What Aiko said may not be as far-fetched as it seems,” he said. “Back on Spur, in university, there was a great deal of speculation about parallel worlds, of other sentient beings living within different dimensions. Different vibrational frequencies, if you will.”
Grale snorted. “Seems far-fetched to me.”
“Yeah? Well, do you have another explanation for what Perin’s describing?” Mink shot back.
“I spoke with one of them,” Perin said.
All eyes turned to her.
“Go on, Perin,” Genji said softly.
“As the ship drifted through our ship, one of them saw me as clearly as I saw him,” she said. “I gave him my name, and he gave me his.” She paused. “Jon. His name is Jon.”
“Did Jon happen to tell you why they singled out Eloch for attack?” Wren asked, leaning against the doorway between the two rooms.
“Wren!” Spider half-rose. “How are you?”
“I’m dealing. Thanks, Spider.”
“Have you gotten any rest?” Mink asked softly.
Wren shook her head. “’Fraid not. Nor do I plan to until we can science out what’s going on with Eloch. So, get used to the dark rings and bloodshot eyes.” She snorted. “I, fortunately, don’t have to look at myself. How’s it going, guys? Anything yet?”
“We’ve got another issue with Eloch’s condition,” Genji said. “I’ve been monitoring the Valiant, and if Eloch doesn’t come back to us soon, we’re going to be in trouble.”
“How so?” Grale asked.
“Eloch is so tied into this ship that whatever affects Eloch, affects the Valiant. If he declines, it’s safe to assume all the ship’s systems will begin to decline, too.”
“I think that may be happening already,” Grale said, rubbing his chin. “I noticed things looking a little wilt-y when I cut through the Solar Farm comin’ over here.”
“Yeah?” Spider asked. “Me, too, now you mention it.”
Wren sighed. “Just keep monitoring, Genj,” she said and ran a hand down a coilmat. “If things get worse, there’s a fail-safe.”
Spider lifted an eyebrow. “Caution First?”
“Always,” Wren answered with the briefest of smiles. “Perin, why don’t you come see Eloch? Maybe you can see the spike.”
Everyone rose and waited expectantly.
“Okay, okay,” Wren said. “Let’s all go find out if Perin can see the spike. But just don’t crowd, all right? Wade, would you check Eloch’s vitals? I haven’t noticed any changes, but I want to make sure.” She turned to go back into the room but paused, causing Genji to nearly collide with her.
“Brace yourselves, people. This isn’t the Eloch you’re used to.”
Chapter 10
More T
rouble
Aiko held back and observed the scene from the doorway. She hadn’t expected Eloch to be so restless, as if he was in the middle of a feverish nightmare. She swallowed hard. “Oh, Knack Man,” she whispered softly.
“Does he recognize you, Wren?” Spider was asking.
Aiko wished she could compartmentalize her feelings the way Spider did. Only when flying, she thought, or captaining her own ship. But as this journey progressed and she’d allowed Wren and Eloch to control their destination, she’d changed.
“He goes in and out of consciousness,” Wren said. “When he’s awake, I know he knows me, but he’s confused. I don’t think he really understands what’s happening to him.”
“Like dementia,” Spider said.
“Like the infected Sisters,” Genji said suddenly, his eyes on Eloch.
“What?” Mink asked.
“Does anyone notice the similarities between Eloch’s behavior and what Entean, Spur, and Longwei have been describing? I think we’ve just discovered what that something is when They tell us, ‘Something is coming.’”
“The flashing spike?” Perin asked, her eyes fastened on Eloch’s right shoulder. “There,” she said, pointing. “I can see it. It is lodged between his shoulder and his body on the right.”
“Here?” Wren asked and she touched his collarbone. She drew her hand back sharply when Eloch groaned. “We have to get it out,” she said fiercely. “Genji? Spider? Any ideas?”
“How do you pull something out that’s invisible and only a blind woman can see?” Wade asked hesitantly.
Kalea looked at him, and hope drained from her expression.
Aiko glanced at Grale, who looked slightly paler than usual. “Why don’t Grale and I go up to the Bridge, keep an eye on the systems, and monitor for returning anomalies,” she suggested. “That way all the scientists can work on what they do best, and we’ll focus on what we do best.”
Not even sure if anyone heard her, she nodded to Grale and they exited the room. “I was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic back there,” she said as they headed for the Bridge.
“Yeah. The Knack Man not looking so good made me not feel so good,” Grale replied. “Don’t like feeling helpless.”
“That’s why we’re going to do what we’re good at and leave the others to do what they’re good at. At least he’s alive. I’ve seen him in much worse shape.”
“Yeah? When?”
“When I first brought him to Spur. Genji and I believed he was dead. But turned out he’d slipped into a coma. Hibernation, Eloch called it. Whatever. By the time we got to Spur, he was nothing but sinews and bones.” She grinned and glanced at Grale. “Took him to the Board of Colonizers and they laughed at him. Called him a Bone Puppet.”
Grale barked out a laugh. “No!”
Aiko giggled. “Yes. And he endured, Grale. He endured and became more and more powerful. Sure, he looks bad. Sure, I don’t want to see him like this, but I’ve seen him worse, and I’m not losing hope.”
“Then neither will I, Kitten. Neither will I.”
Spider tugged on his lip. “I think,” he said slowly, “we first need to stop that flashing light Perin described. Deactivate the signal somehow.”
“I see where you’re going with this,” Genji said. He looked at Wren. “If the signal is deactivated, then Eloch won’t be under its influence any longer.”
“And once Eloch is Eloch again, perhaps he will know how to pull it out himself!” Kalea exclaimed, the hope flooding back in.
“That would be the best case,” Genji agreed.
“Worst case, we’ve got him stabilized and will have more time to create a miracle,” Spider said.
“Let’s revisit your parallel worlds suggestion, Spider,” Genji said. “Can you tell me more about it?”
Spider gave him a crooked smile. “It’s more theory than science...late night University speculations with fellow students, if I’m going to be honest, but the concept always fascinated me.”
“How so?” Mink asked.
“It’s proven that there is only so much our eyes can see. We call that the visible spectrum, and it’s only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. And what we’re seeing are vibrational wavelengths. It’s also proven that the whole of the universe is made up of energy vibrating at different frequencies. So who’s to say that the frequency my reality is vibrating at is the only vibration? And who’s to say that Perin can or cannot see into other vibrational realities?”
“So Perin can see what we cannot because her eyes see beyond a normal person’s visible spectrum,” Wren guessed.
Spider smiled. “Exactly. And this Jon person could be living in a reality that vibrates at a frequency different from ours. Not better or worse...just different. So what we need to do—”
“—is develop a way to tune into the frequency that matches the vibrational wavelengths of Jon’s reality, and then jam that frequency,” Genji finished.
“Only all our equipment is designed to study interstellar frequencies,” Spider said. “Not—” he gestured toward Eloch, who groaned again, his head tossing from side to side.
Wren swallowed hard, placing her hand on his forehead.
“Something is happening to the spike,” Perin said as she stared fixedly at a place on Eloch’s right shoulder area.
“Can you describe it?” Genji asked.
“It’s...” she looked more closely. “There’s a small panel that I can see now. It wasn’t there before, and something is unfolding...blooming...like a metal flower.” Her sightless eyes widened. “Now it’s moving and...there...it stopped.” She gasped. “Light is coming out of it.”
Eloch cried out. The Valiant shuddered. Lights flickered.
The ship’s intercom pinged. “Brace yourselves. The ship is losing its integrity,” Aiko said as the ship groaned and shuddered again. “We’ll redirect the life support systems as best we can.”
Eloch moaned and clutched at his shoulder.
The ship convulsed, the accompanying grinding of twisted metal so loud, Wren was forced to cover her ears. “Aiko! What was that?” she shouted into the intercom.
“That was a chunk of the Valiant tearing off. She’s falling apart!” Grale said. “Aiko’s doing what she can to keep us alive, but I don’t know, people.”
“I’m going to activate the fail-safe,” Wren said, already in motion. She stumbled out of the room, slamming her shoulder against the door frame when the ship lurched again. She ignored the pain, gave all her attention to maintaining her balance as she raced past the Cryo beds and out into the main corridor along the perimeter of the ship. Despite the pitching and rocking, she managed to reach the access door to the Solar Farm fairly quickly.
It took her three attempts to open the Solar Farm access panel, and the lake was sloshing out of its bank. Wren nearly toppled into it as she ran full tilt along its shore.
There was another shudder, and she found herself sprawled on top of wilting vegetation. Alarms blared. The ship lurched. As she struggled to her knees, a huge wave of water rolled over her, carrying her in its surge, along with uprooted vegetation which buffeted and bruised her. The water finally withdrew when the ship tilted the other way.
On her knees, Wren choked and gulped air, pushing her dripping coilmats out of her eyes. She collapsed again when the ship shuddered, regained her balance, then staggered to her feet.
Dizzy and disoriented she looked around, trying to get her bearings. Luck was in her favor. The wave had washed her closer to the other side of the Solar Farm. Arms windmilling for balance, Wren dashed toward the exit panel, which kept opening and closing, opening and closing. She pushed herself harder when she saw that every time the panel opened, the opening was narrower. Reaching the exit, she shoved her way through just as the ship lost gravity.
Wren’s momentum slammed her against the outer bulkhead. It bowed under her hands, rivets straining. Terror lanced through her. If the ship’s hull didn’t hold, they�
��d all be dead in an instant.
Her fingers found purchase on the seams, and she pulled her body along the corridor, legs trailing behind. The flickering lights made it difficult to see. The alarms made it difficult to think. “Keep it together, Eloch!” she shouted, projecting her thoughts toward him, sending the force of her will and the fear driving her efforts to connect with him.
For a brief moment, everything went still. She paused and held her breath. Had she somehow reached him through his confusion and pain?
The ship lurched sideways.
Her fingers were torn away, and she was thrown against the inner wall, ricocheting up toward the ceiling in a head-over-feet tailspin, making her dizzy. She pressed off from the ceiling toward the floor.
Like a cat, she twisted her body so the momentum pushed her down the corridor toward her stateroom. It was visible now, and she focused on it with every ounce of her being, willing herself to go faster. But she was slowing! Twisting her body had had a counter effect on her forward momentum.
“No! No! No! NO!” she screamed, stretching as far as she could until her booted feet touched the inner wall. Hoping it would be enough, she pushed off with her toes, arms outstretched and reaching.
Wren sailed toward their stateroom, her hand slamming the door panel. It slid open and jammed halfway, but Wren was small enough to wedge herself through.
She was greeted by Little Wonder, floating over the bed, paws splayed, yowling in confusion.
“Hey LW,” she crooned over the noise. “Let me work a miracle here, and then you’ll be safe.”
Wren pushed away from the door and used her momentum to maneuver over to her side of the bed, hand reaching toward the fail-safe switch Eloch installed there. The lack of gravity made it difficult for her find any leverage. She swore as she stretched and batted at her table by the bed until she could see the switch. Nearly within reach.
The table floated away and she swore again.
“Think, Wren, think,” she muttered. “I can do this.” She took a deep breath, calming her ragged breathing, went still, and studied her surroundings. Little Wonder’s pillow drifted by. She grabbed it and threw it away from her, which made her coast a little closer toward the table, but still not enough to grab it.
