《Arrows of the Aurora: Nightmourner Book #1》


 One: Entering Orbit

    ALEX


    ¡°You know, the laws of linguistics are only gonna get you so far,¡± Jack said. He tossed an emptied can of black coffee into the bin at the edge of their shared desk. It was cold in their research lab ¨C if it could even be called that ¨C like everything else on the ship. Evidently, heat was too much of an inconvenience to pump through the air ducts. ¡°Just wait, you gotta feel it. You gotta immerse yourself, like a good cup of joe.¡±


    ¡°Language is immersion,¡± Alex muttered. She shot a quick breath of warm air into her chilly palms. "Speaking of coffee, will you stop running through those? They''re not infinite."


    ¡°I miss Earth,¡± Jack shrugged. "And coffee tastes a lot like dirt. If they made the cans bigger we wouldn''t have a problem."


    Alex rolled her eyes. ¡°Then change the window."


    Jack sighed and scrolled through histablet before selecting a new scene for their lab. The fake window at the back wall, a moment ago displaying Jupiter¡¯s moon Europa, lagged out to black before it reloaded with a scene of a Yellowstone geyser.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Now you¡¯ll forget you¡¯re in space,¡± Alex chuckled.


    Jackdropped his chin down on his desk, closed his eyes, and sighed.


    Alex straightened her back as she put her focus back on the book in her hands. She didn''t want to give Jack more attention than he needed. For weeks she¡¯d been trying to strike a balance between a friend from graduate school and boss, but in the end, he simply needed to get his work done. She just wished she didn¡¯t have to nag him to do it. That said, there wasn''t exactly a lot of work to be done aside from reading. They were heart-racingly close to Bhuam now, and to laze around drinking up all the coffee on the ship was a waste of time. In her mind, there were two days left to prepare. The only worthwhile priorities were sustenance, sleep, and secondary research. Granted, Jack included coffee for his sustenance.


    Alex¡¯s eyes strained. She had devoured every book, document, and piece of footage about Bhuam¡¯s people, but the book she was currently pushing through ¨C Problems in Intergalactic Linguistics ¨C was brutal. She had read the same paragraph twice now. It was technically her third time through, but the writing was so dense and technical that every bite of information felt brand new. If she registered it at all.


    She made a mental note to write a better textbook when she returned to Toronto.


    ¡°You know what I miss?¡± Jack leaned back in his swivel chair and stared up at the low ceiling with a dizzy smile. He pushed off his slippers and planted his feet on his desk with a thud. He had been wearing pajamas for a week. ¡°Little Mikey.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve mentioned,¡± Alex gave up on the paragraph and turned the page.


    ¡°Such a good boy.¡±


    ¡°The best.¡±


    ¡°He could do tricks, you know.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Alex squinted at notes she had scribbled in the margins months ago. She couldn¡¯t decipher them either. They were probably written at 3am with the aide of sleep deprived anxiety. "You never could seem to get him to perform in front of a crowd, though."


    "He gets nervous at parties," Jack shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I should¡¯ve applied for a permit. What could a sugar glider do on a space ship that would be so dangerous?¡±


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    Alex slammed the textbook closed. ¡°Are you going to do your job, or whine about a rodent all day?¡±


    ¡°Why not both?¡±


    The door to their lab opened behind them. Alex spun around in her chair. It was Captain White.


    ¡°Sir,¡± as Alex stood she fumbled with the book in her hands. It landed on the floor with a depressing plop. Jack stood at attention behind her.


    Captain White hadn''t spoken to them even once on the journey to Bhuam. They were introduced at the reception dinner the night before departure, but Alex doubted he remembered either of them. The ship was loaded with personnel, from military to engineers, so what were two amateur field anthropologists? Behind him in the hall, she could see two men in perfectly-pressed Peacekeeper uniforms.


    ¡°Evening,¡± White said. ¡°I¡¯ve come to inform you of a schedule change.¡± His voice was low, curt, and authoritative. He observed Jack¡¯s pajamas with a brief look of annoyance.


    ¡°Change?¡± Jack asked.


    ¡°We will be entering orbit around Kepler-62e -¡±


    ¡°Bhuam,¡± Alex corrected. She promptly bit her tongue. Instinct.


    ¡°- earlier than expected,¡± White continued. ¡°By about twenty-one hours.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Jack clapped his hands.


    ¡°Unfortunately, due to limitations on the ground, your research has been put on hold.¡±


    Alex¡¯s face fell. ¡°On hold? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Non-essential personnel are to remain aboard the UNIA Gaia.¡±


    ¡°For how long?¡±


    ¡°Indefinitely.¡±


    Alex turned to look at Jack. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, looking just as confused as she felt.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m not sure I understand,¡± Alex said. She tried to sound polite, official. In control. Like a professional. ¡°We are part of a crucial research initiative by the Interstellar Authority, Sir. The United Nations expects monthly reports and, on top of that -"


    ¡°The situation has changed, Dr. Kimura,¡± White turned away and headed for the door. "This is not a conversation. I came to notify you personally as a courtesy."


    Alex¡¯s lip curled. She still wasn¡¯t used to be referred to as Dr. Kimura. That was, in her mind, her father''s name. "I respect that, but our work here will determine the future of relations with the Timeni peopl -¡±


    Captain White held up a hand and silenced her. His tired eyes were cold. ¡°I¡¯ll alert Commander Sinclair to your concerns, Dr.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Alex followed him to the hall. Captain White was joined at his sides by the two men in uniform. Neither of them looked at Alex or Jack. They only stared straight ahead.


    ¡°What about Camp Apollo?¡±


    White raised a brow. ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°Sir, if we were able to wait within base and begin our research on the ground, we could provide the council with the updates they expect. We wouldn¡¯t interfere, and prevent a delay that could look bad on all of us.¡±


    He eyed her for a moment as a flare of offense whipped through his gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll alert Commander Sinclair of your concerns. In the meantime, you¡¯re welcome to conduct your research from here, Dr. Kimura," he said. "Bhuam will be visible from the main deck within the hour. It has quite a view.¡±


    As the door closed, Alex spun around and faced Jack. He looked pale and shocked, in a little boyish sort of way, in his snack-stained pajamas.


    ¡°Pack your equipment,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re going.¡±

 Two: Judgment Day

    PASHA


    ¡°Aim!¡± Lelan called. ¡°Hold steady! Concentrate!¡±


    Pasha¡¯s heart picked up in speed. This was her favorite moment of the exercise; the strained feeling of holding her drawn bow steady, the pulse between her mind and the crystalline arrowheads. She longed to be there, back to drills with the other sentinels, but instead she was hidden; watching them from afar in the trees. The pain in her ankle still lingered. She crouched down a bit further in the dense forest brush as she tried to get a better look at Omedi. From what she could tell, his form had improved since last month.


    ¡°You¡¯re moving,¡± Lelan¡¯s commanding voice rang through the grove like a bell, overpowering even the waterfalls that thundered across the forest basin. He crossed his arms and tossed a long twist of hair over his shoulder.


    A hush clothed each of them, a focused silence that seemed to wrap their breath and bodies in a taut line. Pasha waited, eyes fixed on Omedi. The target, a mistbird hologram, was nearly invisible. It took sharp senses to detect the slightest shimmer in the light, and a knack for timing that was practically rooted in precognition. Omedi didn¡¯t know she was there, watching him from the trees. It was kind of a thrill to be sneaking around. If Lelan ¨C or worse, Tigara ¨C discovered she was trying to hang around her squadron she would be lambasted beyond recovery. Not that she wasn¡¯t already. None of the other sentinels had so much as looked her in the eye in weeks.


    ¡°Become stone,¡± Lelan spoke, softly this time.


    The chill of wet air from the waterfall tickled her nose. Pasha swallowed and winced at her dry throat. Then, Lelan¡¯s lips cracked into the smile he always broke into when making them wait like this.


    ¡°Now!¡± Lelan commanded.


    Less than a second before the others, Omedi¡¯s sparkling arrow streaked through the air in a quenching green ray, piercing the sky. The mistbird, revealed, shimmered; struck from invisibility, it spiraled to the ground.


    Pasha¡¯s heart surged with pride, until the dozen sentinels turned around to collect their things. She quietly backed up into the foliage.


    ¡°Good work, Sentinel,¡± Lelan pressed a closed fist to his opposite shoulder in respect. ¡°You¡¯ve been impressing me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, you know,¡± Omedi laughed nervously as he scratched at his ear. ¡°It¡¯s all Pasha¡¯s help. Not that she¡¯s been, you know. Out and around. Just verbal feedback, you know. It''s great stuff.¡±


    ¡°Her skill is unparalleled,¡± Lelan said. He bowed his head slightly to Omedi and turned to give quiet guidance on form to a junior sentinel.


    Pasha¡¯s cheeks burned with embarrassment. She was on everyone¡¯s bad side, but at least Lelan was still in her corner. Kind of.


    Finally, Omedi looked in her direction. Pasha lifted herself just slightly from the tall leaves, enough for him to see her ear. He met her eyes, and they grew wide with fear. She nodded at his bow and winked, then disappeared back into the shadows.


    The grove began to clear. A few sentinels meandered passed, wrapped in their own conversations, down the stone path. Pasha waited to the rumbling of the waterfall, her back pressed her against a tree trunk, while Omedi offered her a soft, knowing smile.


    Pasha retrieved an arrow from her quiver and pressed it against her chest. Imprinting with the trees wasn¡¯t a skill she had mastered, nor was she particularly interested in doing so, but she didn¡¯t know how long it would be until she and Omedi would have the grove. Imprinting wasn¡¯t part of her clan¡¯s tradition. But the time spent in reflection ¨C and the opportunity to massage the swelling of her ankle ¨C was welcome. Yet her mind kept wanting to reflect on the squadron before her, and how none of them had visited her since the incident.


    Through the thick woods, Pasha could barely make out Lelan. He was crouched over, writing, and his long dark hair shadowed his face. He hadn¡¯t visited her either.


    Pasha closed her eyes and gently attempted to push her mind from her own body into the soil, through the roots and out into branches of the tree.


    Distracting flashes filled her mind like unsettled dreaming. The fire she caused. The steel crates on the ship. Grandmother Mina¡¯s burial. The stargate.


    ¡°How¡¯s the ankle?¡± a whisper dragged her consciousness back into her body with a start.


    Pasha opened her eyes and, the forest emptied, found Omedi in front of her, hand outstretched. His braids hung over his shoulders like bead strings, and his face looked even deeper indigo beneath the forest canopy. She scanned the grove. Lelan was gone.


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    Pasha took his hand and stood.


    ¡°Blazing, to be honest,¡± Pasha slid the arrow back into her quiver and retrieved her bow from behind a yellow sage bush. ¡°But worth every shot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be healed by now if you stayed off it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Pasha gave him a mischievous smile as she limped into the clearing. Sitting still for so long made the swelling ache. ¡°But did you know that the temple quarry pools are left unattended at night? Someone could, presumably, sneak right in.¡±


    ¡°Does holy water work if it¡¯s stolen?¡±


    Pasha rolled her eyes and stretched. The training grove was her favorite place to be, though it was weird to spend time there without the company of the squadron or Lelan¡¯s gaze. The ground was covered in a thick layer of moss. A gray stone path led the way up the hillside to the stone circle of the training area. In the endless mists of the waterfalls that poured into the basin and the city, the moss grew on everything; stones and trees, houses and left behind belongings. The great trees of the basin, ancient and wise, reached as high as birds could fly. The stood like portals to the heavens.


    She was forbidden from training with her squadron, but there were no rules ¨C at least, not explicitly ¨C to shoot a few arrows with a friend.


    Pasha aimed for a small red target beneath a stone archway.


    ¡°Ah, the criminal is here.¡±


    Pasha dropped her bow and turned around. It was Zuna and her brother, Den, still in their sentinel gear. Zuna took one look at the bandage on Pasha¡¯s ankle and cackled. ¡°I had a feeling Omedi was getting extra training.¡±


    ¡°Mediocrity will only get you so far, Zuna,¡± Omedi retorted as he tossed his own bow over his back.


    Den scowled. ¡°Does Lelan know you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Save your breath,¡± Zuna smiled as she closed the distance between her and Pasha. ¡°We all know Lelan would never enforce the rules for sweet little Pasha.¡±


    ¡°Are you two sharing a bed again?¡± Den whispered playfully.


    ¡°Your jealousy is tangible,¡± Pasha sneered.


    ¡°Sounds like a no,¡± Zuna winked at Omedi. ¡°Means you might have a chance. Are traitorous murderers your type?¡±


    ¡°Shut it,¡± Omedia lifted his chin. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I just thought I¡¯d give you both a fair warning.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± Pasha¡¯s stomach began to churn. Zuna loved opportunities to play with her like a hunt.


    ¡°Judgment day.¡± No sooner had Zuna smiled, bearing her teeth, did Lelan and Tigara appear on the path at the edge of the training grove.


    ¡°Go!¡± Omedi pushed her. ¡°I¡¯ll cover for you!¡±


    Pasha brushed him off and pointed to her swollen, bandaged ankle. ¡°Yeah, because I can outrun Tigara with a limp.¡±


    Omedi¡¯s face fell. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Why not go on all fours?¡± Zuna whispered as she and Den took a few steps back, barely controlling their laughter.


    The churning in Pasha¡¯s stomach increased to the ferocity of a whirlpool, and her heart was a wardrum.


    Her mind raced. Was this really, right now, judgment day? Of course it would be the day she¡¯d get caught in the grove. As if they needed more fuel for their crusade against her.


    Within a moment, there they were: Lelan and, beside him, Tigara. Tigara was taller than Pasha, and her fierce yellow eyes looked down at her with disdain. She was dressed in her formal attire of polished black armor, blacker than the night, and streaks of the white iridescent warpaint of her clan decorated her cheekbones.


    ¡°High General,¡± Omedi bowed. His braids swung in the air. Pasha quickly mimicked him. They stole a brief glance into each other¡¯s eyes. Her own fear was there, reflected back to her.


    ¡°Rise and step forward, sentinel,¡± Tigara¡¯s lip curled. She did not acknowledge Omedi.


    Pasha complied.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to retrieve you for your final hearing, Pasha,¡± Lelan said coolly.


    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±


    Zuna laughed. ¡°Please, he¡¯s only the commander.¡±


    Lelan held Pasha¡¯s eyes. There was something in them that she felt him trying to communicate, but it was buried too deep. ¡°You¡¯re very easy to spot in the brush, Pasha. In the future, try the branches.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but smile a little.


    ¡°You waste my time,¡± Tigara spat, cutting them off. ¡°Sentinel, you have been summoned to immediate trial for the murder of three human persons. The Crescent Council is waiting.¡±