《The Light - 2nd Novel in the Shadow Series》


 Chapter 1 .

    Vai


    Owen punched Esther''s cheek - or rather tried to. She easily stepped around him and grabbed his arm along the way. She threw him to the ground.


    It didn''t matter that Owen and I now had the light. It didn''t matter that I was taller than Esther and was trained in boxing. She could always beat us. I suspected only Warpaint was better than her. He didn''t practice with us because he didn''t need practice. He was all programs. It might have been good if we could use him to practice on though.


    I used the light to jump across the lounge on level 8 to attack her. She had taught us how to do that. It wasn''t that difficult. You concentrate the light - green in my case - on your legs and feet and jump.


    I tried a left hook while her back was turned. I tried, but I knew I''d fail. And I did. She went low to the ground and my fist flew over where her head had been. She kicked my feet out from under me and I fell. I used the light again to quicken my reflexes and instead of falling onto my back I managed to twist a little further to land on my hands and spring back up to my feet.


    Esther smiled when she saw it. "You''re improving. Both of you," she added to Owen who purposely got up slowly from the lounge floor. Most of the Shadow was decorated with basic colors, but the lounge was decorated in a horrible contrast of reds and greens that seemed like Christmas decorations gone bad.


    "Let''s stop for today," she said. "It wouldn''t be good for your families to miss you."


    There was always a sadness to the word family when she used it. My mom had died when I was young, but at least I still had my father - even if he was absent most of the time and overbearing and overprotective and stole about 80 years of my life. Owen''s family seemed pretty great. Esther hadn''t opened up much about her family, but we knew the Corruption had killed her parents, her younger brother, her aunts and uncles and little cousins. She was alone.


    "When are we going to take someone else with the Corruption?" Owen asked. "It''s been weeks since we killed Wilson."


    Weeks and we still hadn''t told the complete truth to Shel and Minmin. They were more than impatient. If we told them everything - about the Corruption and the light - of course they would want to help. They would want the light themselves, but they were on a different ship. We didn''t have a way to open it in them. And Shel. The Corruption was in his father. Could Shel help kill his father? I didn''t think I could in his position.


    "When we know of someone else," Esther said.


    "We know of the captain," Owen said.


    "We can''t just kidnap the captain," I said. "Her disappearance would be obvious not just to the Shadow, but to the entire G.E.F. and the Gathering leadership."


    "I don''t have anymore leads," Esther said, "but it seems like Lieutenant Tanpo was giving information to your father, Vai. She might know more or your father might have a list of suspicious people."


    "My father keeps a lot of secrets from me," I said. "His room is locked always. Even when he is in it. I can''t just go up to him and ask him for a list and I don''t think I can search for it without him knowing. His ship roster with his personal notes was on his okulus and that is on him at all times."Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Maybe I can overhear something from Lieutenant Tanpo again," Owen said. "We have a field trip in a few days so I will have an excuse to go to the shuttle bay."


    Teacher Miller was back. She had assigned us groups to go planetside again that very day. I wasn''t included as my father hadn''t lifted my restrictions. Owen would be going with people he had never gone with yet which meant he wasn''t going with Shel and Minmin.


    Teacher Miller said she wanted an opportunity for all students to intermingle with each other, but I was pretty certain she had decided the four of us were trouble and to separate us. Shel and Minmin were still going together though. I didn''t think Teacher Miller dared separate them. It was Shel''s father that had put her on those few weeks leave. She wouldn''t take the chance of upsetting him again.


    "Let''s do that," Esther said. "In the meantime, I guess we should just wander the corridors and look into people''s eyes. Maybe we''ll get lucky."


    "Are you coming to my quarters tonight?" Owen asked her.


    We had been practicing on the deserted levels, but she had been sleeping in our quarters. Security sweeps had increased on the restricted levels. Although she sometimes slept in my bathroom - bedroom was too risky as my father might walk in - she usually stayed in Owen''s. We had decided his parents were a lot less dangerous for her than mine if she got found out. Security wouldn''t look for her in our quarters so we thought that was the safest place for her.


    "Maybe," she said. It''s what she usually said. Either she showed up or she didn''t.


    "Okay, then," Owen said. "I''ll either see you later or tomorrow. Are the elevators clear?"


    She had hacked the security feeds so she always checked for us. It would be suspicious if someone saw us get off the elevators from the restricted levels.


    "I''ll check in a moment," she said, "first I have a program for both of you."


    Owen eagerly held out his okulus to her. She connected hers with his. "You can use this to hide from the security cameras if you need to." She handed his okulus back to him. "It''s what I use." She came to me. I handed her my okulus and she connected hers to it. "If you need to use it, turn it on and reshape your okulus to fit over you. It will hide you from all types of cameras." She handed my okulus back to me.


    She looked at Warpaint. "I don''t have anything for you," she said.


    "I don''t need it anyway," the mechatronic replied, "I already have a similar program?"


    "You do?" I asked. How much had my father programmed into him?


    "Yes, of course, sir," he replied.


    Esther looked at her okulus. "The elevators are clear. You better go now."


    She didn''t accompany us. The elevator doors slid open and we stepped inside. I pressed for level 5.


    "Look what I discovered," Owen said. He opened his hand. His yellow light gathered there and then a small orange flame burst up. He quickly extinguished it with his other hand before the ship''s computer was alerted.


    Esther had encouraged us to explore our light as the light affected everyone a little differently. The flame had been small, but I was impressed. So far, I hadn''t been able to do anything with my green light.


    When I first saw Owen''s yellow light it reminded me of the sun. The small flame now solidified my initial thoughts.


    "Impressive, right, my friend?" he beamed with a large smile.


    I smiled. "I am impressed." I looked into my own empty palm. "I haven''t been able to do anything yet."


    He patted my back. He couldn''t reach my shoulder. "You will, friend. It will be spectacular when you do."


    Our okulus'' buzzed at the same time. It was a four way call from Shel. I answered. Owen didn''t bother since he was right next to me.


    Shel and Minmin were projected through my volo. Both seemed to be in their respective bedrooms.


    "Hi, friends," Owen said. He lifted his small hand and waved.


    Minmin smiled and waved back.


    Shel didn''t smile.


    "Meet me in my refuge. Five minutes," Shel said.


    He ended the call.

 Chapter 2 .

    Shel


    After spending the afternoon with Minmin in the arboretum, I returned home to my mom packing my dad''s things.  That was not what I first noticed. What I first noticed was her bloody ear. All 5 studs were still in her ear, but the top one looked like someone had tried to rip it out.  Her ear was torn and bloody there. The top stud was askew.


    She didn''t look at me when I entered.  She didn''t say anything, but she knew I was there.  She always knew.


    "What happened?" I made sure my voice was low and void of emotion.  She wouldn''t like it if I seemed concerned.


    Her lips pinched.  The ridge above her left eye raised slightly.  In her hands was the spare captain''s uniform. She paused.  Breathed in. Closed her eyes.


    I waited.  Only one person could have got close enough to her, to surprise her enough to hurt her.  I wondered where he was at that moment. My dad. He wasn''t in the quarters.


    Red heat welled inside my chest.  My dad had changed too much. He would never have hurt my mom.  A year ago the thought would never have entered his mind. But now...I started locking my bedroom door when I was inside after I woke up two weeks ago to see him staring down at me in the darkness.  Pink had been in his eyes. He left without saying a word. I hadn''t told my mom. She had enough issues with him as it was.


    Her eyes flashed open and she tossed the uniform into the suitcase.  She closed it hard, walked passed me and tossed it out into the corridor.  It banged loudly against the opposite wall.


    She walked passed me to the food terminal.


    I stood still and waited as a good son should.


    She came back and handed me algae food disguised as an apple.  She turned to walk away.


    I broke protocol.  "Mom," I grabbed her wrist.


    She looked at me and for a moment I saw it in her eyes.  Saw that she wanted to hug me and cry. And why wouldn''t she?  She didn''t have any friends onboard. No one to talk to. My dad had betrayed her.  My dad had hurt her. She had given up her position as a Jo-Dinun - an elite warrior - to marry him because she loved him.


    The moment passed.  I let go of her wrist and she walked into her bedroom.  I waited. She hadn''t answered my question or dismissed me.  She reappeared with a first aid kit. She handed it to me and sat on the gray couch my dad had been using as a bed.


    I sat next to her and placed the algae apple on the couch beside me.  I opened the kit. "I should take out the ear stud to clean your ear," I said.  I didn''t move to do it though.


    "No," she said.  Her voice was low and void of emotion.  "It must never come out."


    I pulled out the saline solution.  "I''ll work around it," I said. I poured the solution over her ear.  She didn''t move as the liquid moved down her ear and dropped onto her shoulder.  The purple shirt she wore darkened with the moisture.


    I put away the saline solution and took out the liquid adhesive.  I carefully spread it over the cut on her ear. Her skin fused together.  I put away the adhesive and closed the first aid kit. I put the first aid kit on the couch next to the algae apple.


    "I should have sent you to the accelerated program years ago," she said quietly.


    "I didn''t want to go," I replied.


    I should have.  I fit all the requirements.  I hadn''t wanted to leave my family.  Sometimes I wondered if I was strange for that.  Bundu-Jo''s should be pleased to go to the accelerated program.  Other times I wondered if I wasn''t strange and all Bundu-Jo''s felt the same as I did, but like me, couldn''t express it openly.  The accelerated program was a Gathering program not a Bundu-Jo program, but the Bundu-Jos in particular felt it an honor to be accepted.


    She reached out and held my hand.  The blue of her skin was the same as mine.


    I heard him then - out in the corridor.  My mom''s hand tightened in mine. When the door opened, my dad stood there with his suitcase in hand.  He didn''t come in all the way, just stood in the doorframe.


    "I''m sorry, El," he said.


    She didn''t reply.  Her jaw clenched.


    There was a long pause as my dad looked across the distance to my mom.  She stared back, but didn''t blink. His eyes drifted to her ear. The pink shown in his eyes for the briefest of moments.


    "I''m sorry," he said again.  He was met with only silence.  "Shel," he said.


    I turned away from him.  It had become more and more obvious he wasn''t the same, but hurting my mom was too much.  Burning moisture came to my eyes. I blinked them away, but not before one tear fell onto my cheek.  I was turned away enough from both of them that I didn''t think they noticed.


    "How will it look for the captain to be kicked out from his own quarters?"


    But my mom didn''t speak, didn''t move.


    The tear on my cheek had dried enough I turned to face my dad once again.


    He took a step inside.  "I''m sorry," he said for the third time.  "I had no choice. I . . ." Pain washed over his face.  Not pain as in emotional pain, but physical pain. I had never seen him show physical pain.  He doubled over as if he had been punched in the stomach, but one hand grabbed his head as if trying to keep it from splitting open.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    My mom stood, rapidly closed the distance to my dad and pushed him out the door.  "Yes you did," she said in a low, rough voice. "Even if the choice was to die."


    She closed the door between them and changed the password to the door.  My dad was captain, he could override it if he really wanted to. My mom turned and for the first time in my life I saw tears on her cheeks.  I couldn''t help it then, the tears came to my own eyes. She rushed passed me into her bedroom. The door slid closed behind her.


    For a long time I sat there waiting to hear my dad leave.  Waiting as my insides turned and split and mashed. Finally, I heard him leave.  My teeth grinded together as my heart split and split and split. Someone had told me to wait for answers and the only reason I had was to protect my mom.  But it hadn''t mattered. She had been hurt to her very core.


    I went into my bedroom and locked it.  I placed a three way call. Minmin answered first.  She always did. The only one I was sure I could rely on.  She was in her bedroom. Vai answered immediately after. Owen was beside him.  They weren''t in their quarters. I wasn''t going to wait anymore.


    "Meet me in my refuge.  Five minutes." I hung up.  I would get answers even if I had to get a shuttle, go to the Shadow and tear it out of Vai''s lips myself.


    I stretched out on the bed and reshaped my okulus to fit over my head.  I entered the ansible.  I double checked my avatar''s settings to be sure if I happened to cry in real life, it wouldn''t be reflected in the ansible.


    I entered my refuge.  I got rid of most of the clothes I was wearing and entered the ocean.  The cool waves washed over me. I had programmed a drop off shortly off the beach so I could dive down and see all the colorful fish I would normally find on Bundu IV.  Even the large dangerous ones - they wouldn''t attack in the program.


    I swam among the corals and fish.  I stayed there until the water cooled the heat of my anger and pain.  I wasn''t sure how much time had passed, but when I came back to the beach Minmin and Owen sat on the silver sand.  Vai was next to a green tree staring up at Leela - the blue and silver bird.  She was fashioned after a childhood pet with the same name.


    I held my arm out and she flew from the tree to my arm.  She was fake.  I knew that, but she still brought me comfort like the real Leela had before she had died.


    "You were already here?" Minmin said.  "You were in the water?"


    "Yes," I said.  I gave my arm a small push and Leela flew back to her perch in the tree.


    Vai and Owen glanced quickly at each other after they saw me.  Clearly, they still weren''t ready to tell me everything.


    "Just tell me," I said.  "Tell us," I indicated Minmin with a wave of my hand.


    "What do you want to know, friend?" Owen said with an innocent blink of his eyes.  Vai frowned at him.


    "Let''s start with Esther."


    "She''s training us," Vai said.


    "Training you how?" Minmin asked.  She stood and walked by my side.  I could always count on her.


    Vai and Owen exchanged another glance.


    "The dangerous alien then," I said.  "Tell me."


    "When the time is right," Vai said.  "It''s dangerous . . ."


    "Do you think I''m stupid?" I said.


    Vai swallowed hard.  Owen''s hands began to grab fistfulls of sand.  They didn''t say anything.


    "Fine," I said.  "I''ll tell you about the dangerous alien."  They looked at each other in surprise as if suspecting each other of telling me without notifying the other one.


    "This dangerous alien Esther warned you about," I said, "can take over people.  Make them do what they want.  They have infiltrated top people in the Gathering government.  They have infiltrated the G.E.F.  Including the captain of the Armstar - my father."


    Minmin didn''t react.  She probably had figured it out like I had.  I was sure she could have also gone into the accelerated program if she had wanted.


    Vai and Owen didn''t say anything, but I was correct.  I knew I was.


    "What does Esther call this dangerous alien that can take over people?" I asked.


    "The Corruption," Vai said.


    "How do I get it out of my dad?"


    "You can''t," Owen said quietly.


    My heart tumbled down.


    "You can, but only temporarily," Vai said quickly.  "Those infected by them - once they''ve bonded, they can never unbond."


    "So what have you been training with Esther to do?" Minmin asked.  "What happened to that officer and mechanic that went missing on your ship?"


    Neither Owen nor Vai answered for a long time.  They both looked down at the silver sand.  Finally, Vai closed his eyes and sighed out low.  Then his eyes slowly opened and focused on me. "We killed them," he said.


    I wasn''t expecting that answer, but I quickly readjusted my head and heart to all this new information.


    "What do you mean when you say the Corruption needs to bond with them?" Minmin asked.  "Does that mean if you have the Corruption inside you, but you haven''t bonded yet, then you can get rid of them?"


    Owen looked up at Vai.  Vai hesitated.  "I had them inside when I left Mars and came to the Shadow.  I didn''t know then what it was.  I screamed the entire time because of the pain.  The Aether field killed them when I came onboard.  I hadn''t bonded with them yet. Esther said once you hear them, they give you the greatest pleasure when you obey and the greatest pain when you disobey.  She said it''s impossible to resist them."


    My mom had told my dad he had a choice even if that choice was to die.  I closed my eyes.  Minmin''s small hand slid into mine. My mom knew. She knew about the Corruption.  I reached up with my free hand and fingered the studs in my ear. Vai''s father knew too.


    "These must keep them out," I said and opened my eyes again.  "That''s why my dad tried to rip them out of my mom''s ear."


    All three of them gasped around me.


    "I have to kill him," I said.


    "No," Owen and Vai said at the same time.  Owen stood up, but Vai stepped in front of me and grabbed the wrist of the hand that was at my ear.


    "A mechanic and officer won''t send a panic through the Gathering government and the Corruption," Vai said.  "Missing captains of the G.E.F. will."  He slowly let go of my wrist and took a step back.


    "Is that why you haven''t killed your captain yet?" I asked.


    "Yes."


    Part of me was relieved I didn''t have to kill my dad, but another part remembered my mom''s bloody ear and her tears.


    "Besides," Owen said, "killing your father won''t kill the Corruption inside him.  They''ll just come out and go inside someone else."


    "The Aether field kills them," Minmin said.


    "Yes," Owen said.


    "What else are you keeping from us?" I asked.


    "The light," Owen said.  He stepped in to stand next to Vai.  He told us about the Lion of Judah''s Research Station, the Awakened One, the light, the Corruption killing all of them except Esther who escaped, and the second Awakened One Esther was trying to get to.


    "We talked to Esther about opening the light in both of you," Vai said, "but you''re on a different ship and she''s a stowaway.  She can''t just get on a shuttle to go to your ship or meet you planetside."


    "I need to tell my mom about all this," I said.


    "No," Vai said.  "She''ll tell my father and he''ll lock me up forever."


    "She already knows about the Corruption," I said.  "She''s been hurt by them at the hands of my dad."


    "Just wait," Vai said.  He put up both hands for emphasis as if that action alone could make me wait.


    "I''ll use my own discretion whether to wait or not," I said.  I logged out leaving the three of them alone.  I was done arguing, done waiting, done not knowing.  Done being helpless.

 Chapter 3 .

    Vai


    I logged off the ansible to a metal finger tapping my shoulder.  I was still on my bed - still had my okulus over my head.


    My father spied on me again.  It seemed to happen about once a week - usually in the evening.  If he had checked earlier, he would have seen me on a restricted level sparring with the mystery girl security was after.  We really needed to come up with a better system.


    We could mock spar in the ansible, but it really wasn''t the same, especially because the light couldn''t be emulated in the ansible.  The light was really what we were practicing to control - to discover.


    I finally took off the okulus, mainly because Warpaint poked my shoulder with his metal finger in the exact same spot over and over and it was beginning to hurt.  He stopped when I took off the okulus. I reshaped it to fit around my wrist. My volo hovered around my head.


    My fingers lingered on my okulus.  I had planned to call Shel immediately to try to talk him out of speaking with his mom.  My father couldn''t find out about any of this and I thought his mom would tell my father.  I couldn''t call and tell him all that with my father spying on me. Warpaint hadn''t yet given me the signal that my father had stopped.


    I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up.


    "Are you hungry, sir?" Warpaint asked.


    It was 19:34 Gathering standard time and I hadn''t eaten since lunch.  And I had just used a lot of energy in sparring with Esther and Owen. Luckily Warpaint didn''t vocalize that part.  I had convinced him that the sparring would help me protect myself if for some reason he wasn''t able to. Warpaint couldn''t fathom a circumstance where he couldn''t guard me, but I had also convinced him if Owen died I would die of heartache.  Warpaint didn''t understand how that could happen either, but I had convinced him it was possible with my fine acting.


    "Famished," I said.


    "Is there something in particular you want from the food terminal?  Mashed potatoes and steak maybe? Teriyaki chicken? Burritos?"


    I tried not to roll my eyes.  "It all has the aftertaste of algae anyway.  It doesn''t matter."


    "But the initial taste is what the food is supposed to be," Warpaint offered helpfully.


    He patted my shoulder.  The signal my father stopped spying on me.


    "Teriyaki chicken I guess," I said.


    "That''s a tasty choice, sir," Warpaint said.  He moved towards the food terminal.


    "You can''t eat or taste," I said.  "How do you know it''s tasty?"


    "Your father said, sir."


    Of course he did.  My okulus chirped. "Wait, Warpaint, my father is calling."


    It was highly doubtful he was calling to take me out to dinner since we had only been once since I had woken up from my almost 80 years sleep, but that once wasn''t that long ago.  I was hopeful for real food.


    Warpaint stopped where he was.  I answered the call.


    My father''s image was projected through my volo.  He was still in his lab. Not surprising. He always worked late.


    "Hello, father," I said.  There was a time I called him dad, but that was before my sixteenth birthday, before he stole my life away.


    "Hello, son."  He didn''t seem to realize I called him father out of anger now.  He never did. "I can take a little break from work. Want to meet me at the Starrise for dinner?"


    I blinked.  I had hoped the call would result in real food, but I hadn''t really expected it to happen.


    "Is your silence a yes or no, son."


    "Yes."


    "I''ll meet you there."  He hung up.


    "Forget the algae food, Warpaint.  I get real food."Stolen novel; please report.


    "Very good, sir.  I''m sure it will be even more tasty."


    "Is that a new word for you or something?  You''ve never used it before today."


    "Since you enjoy being around the young ones, I thought I should research some slang, sir."


    "I''ve never heard anyone use tasty so much," I said.


    "Really, sir?  Should I not use it then?"


    I was probably imagining things because Warpaint was a mechatronic not a person, but I swear he felt bad.


    "No, it''s okay.  You can keep saying it if you want to."


    "Thank you, sir."


    I went in the bathroom and rinsed off quickly.  I hadn''t taken a shower when we got through with sparring because of Shel''s call and I wasn''t about to meet my father when I smelled.  Better to be late than stinky.


    My father waited at the entrance of the Starrise when I arrived.  He looked me over, but didn''t say anything. We were seated by one of the large windows.  The stars phased in and out, streaked as the ship continued its multiple jumps through FTL.


    I saw Spencer towards the back arguing with his mom.  He occasionally pointed to our table. So did she. She placed her hands on her hips.  He shook his head, but headed our way. I assumed he hadn''t wanted to wait on our table, but she made him.


    "Good evening," he said with his eyes solely focused on my father.  "Are you ready to order, Lieutenant Commander?"


    "Vai first," my father said.


    Spencer slowly turned to me.  To his credit, his distaste for me didn''t show on his face, but I saw it in his eyes.


    "Teriyaki chicken," I said.


    "Very good, something to drink?"


    "Strawberry juice."


    Spencer turned to my father.  "And you, Lieutenant Commander?"


    "The same."


    Spencer left us, but not before I saw him roll his eyes behind my father''s back.  I really didn''t like Spencer.


    "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa."  I didn''t have to look up to see who it was.  Her presence was as forceful as her job title.


    "Captain," my father greeted.


    "It''s good to see you out with your son," she said.  She came around so she stood at the side of our table instead of behind me.  She wore her captain''s uniform. I had never seen her in anything but her captain''s uniform.  Warpaint shifted slightly as he stood at the other side of the table. He knew the Corruption was inside her just as I did, but she wasn''t threatening me and he couldn''t move against her.  I didn''t think he liked her so close to me though.


    "Though I''ve often thought humans are a little too soft with their children," she said.  "By the time I was his age I flew kill-missions over the most dangerous bandian uprising for generations."


    "We''re all part of the same Gathering," I mumbled.


    "What? Speak up," she said.


    My father frowned at me and gave me that look that I shouldn''t continue.


    I purposely turned away from him and looked the captain directly in the eyes.  "Gathering education is all the same whether your Bundu-Jo, Starwatcher, Human or K''thaktra.  How could you have been flying kill-missions at my age?"


    She met my gaze easily.  There was no sign of the pink I had seen weeks before.  Nothing in her stance to indicate the Corruption that was inside her.  "I was in the accelerated program. I graduated school when I was 15. What about you?  Would you qualify for the accelerated program or have you been babied so much like other humans that you would crumble under the pressure."


    That did not make my father happy.  He stood to his full height. Taller than me.  Much taller than Captain Axa. "Just because I chose to homeschool him doesn''t mean he wasn''t offered into the accelerated program."  He lied so easily.


    My father was an intimidating man.  Captain Axa wasn''t intimidated. She didn''t move, didn''t hunch, didn''t look away from my father''s gaze.


    "I made the wrong assumptions then," she said.  "Of course it is the parent''s choice to keep their child instead of sending them to the accelerated program.  Even if that is a choice I can''t understand. Captain Svolun of the G.E.V. Armstar decided to keep his son with him when the offer came through from the accelerated program.  I still don''t understand why a Bundu-Jo in particular would decline such an offer."


    Shel could have been in the accelerated program?  I wondered if Minmin had also received an offer. As far as I could tell, they were on par with each other.


    My father sat.  "It is all right.  Don''t think too much of it.  I''ve already forgotten that you almost insulted my son."


    Her blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but other than that she gave no indication that my father''s words bothered her.


    "You''ll be on the bridge tomorrow to oversee the readings of the Berian moons."  It was a statement not a question from Captain Axa.


    "Yes," my father said.  He lowered his eyes slightly as if just realizing she was captain and he was a lieutenant commander.


    "Captain Axa."  Spencer''s mother put two glasses of strawberry juice on our table.  She greeted the captain with a smile and warmth in her voice.


    Captain Axa smiled when she saw Spencer''s mother.  I didn''t think the captain was capable of a smile.


    "Hello, Adi," the captain greeted.


    "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa," she greeted my father with the same warmth.


    He smiled like Captain Axa had and I suddenly wondered what it was about Spencer''s mom that she could get people who rarely smiled to smile so easily.


    "You must be Vai Ma''amaloa."  She turned to face me and the captain.  Her back was now facing my dad.


    "Yes," I said.  I smiled, but it felt all twisted and awkward on my face like my face had never smiled before.  I wondered what evils Spencer had told her about me and my friends.


    "Your father speaks highly of you," she said.  That surprised me.


    "He comes in everyday to eat," she said.  "Usually at odd hours. He is proud of you, even if he won''t admit it."


    "I think that''s enough, Adi," my father said.


    She smiled as if my father amused her instead of being frightening.


    "And of course, it is great to have you captain.  Have you been seated yet? I could offer you a small table if you''d like."


    And there it was.  The pink glint in her eyes and my heart tumbled down.  Spencer''s mom - this nice woman who could make even my father and the captain smile - had the Corruption.  We had to kill her. I couldn''t pretend this one didn''t have a family. I couldn''t pretend this one was evil.

 Chapter 4 .

    Owen


    "Thanks for meeting with me so early," I said.


    Spencer''s mom didn''t look any different than she normally did.  Her brown, wavy hair was tied back ready to work at her restaurant.  She already wore the black apron with the Starrise name on it.


    I wasn''t sure Vai was correct in his assessment that the Corruption was inside her.  How could it be when she was always pleasant. She was unlike Spencer in every way.


    "I''m almost out of chocolate," she said.  Her smile was bright, warm, welcoming. She leaned in closer and whispered, "I thought security confiscated all your chocolate."


    We were in the corridor behind the Starrise.  This area was void of the large windows that showed the stars unlike the rest of this level.  The walls were white, the hard floor was gray. The lights were low as this corridor was hardly used.  Especially at this time of day. It was quiet. No one but us. Except I knew Esther was in the maintenance shaft behind Spencer''s mom.


    I had told Adi to meet me here on purpose.  Esther was less likely to be discovered as was our business with Adi.  And when I did sell Adi chocolate on the Remembrance, we always met in a secluded place so no one would know of our transaction.  A lot of those times I met with Spencer instead of Adi, but there had been a few times she and I met directly.  She knew I had a falling out with Spencer. If she held any resentment that I was selling chocolate on the side to customers, she didn''t show it.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be in school?" She said as she straightened.


    "I have a few minutes left before it starts," I said.  My eyes drifted to the red maintenance hatch. There was no sign of Esther.  She said she would be there. I had to trust that she was.


    "You are going to be late," Spencer''s mom said.


    "That''s okay.  The teacher doesn''t like me anyway."


    Her face grew serious.  "You don''t have much time left before you graduate.  Maybe we shouldn''t do this now. You just got off probation.  You shouldn''t get into any more trouble."


    It was motherly.  It stirred something inside me.  I thought I had prepared myself for killing everyone with the Corruption, but this was different.  Adi had always been nice, friendly. I couldn''t tell that anything had changed. Maybe Vai had been wrong.  I couldn''t do this.


    I took a step back.  "Maybe you''re right," I said.  I tried to smile, but my lips didn''t obey.


    "Are you all right?" she asked.  "You haven''t once called me friend.  Is it because of what happened with Spencer?"


    I wasn''t sure what Spencer had told her, but my reservations at the moment had nothing to do with him.


    "I''m fine - friend."


    I was sure she had to notice my hesitation, but she ignored it.


    "Well, you are here now and are going to be late anyway.  How do you still have chocolate?"


    "I had some hidden outside my quarters in case I was caught," I lied.


    "You have always been clever," she said warmly.  "You''ll have no problems with whatever you choose in life.  How much do you want for the chocolates? The sooner I can have them the better.  I think my stock will be out after tonight''s dinner rush. I''m really desperate."


    I needed to leave.  I had to find some excuse.  I had to get a hold of Esther and tell her to abort the plan.  This was wrong. Adi was well loved by everyone. She was a wife and a mother.  Even if I didn''t like Spencer, he didn''t deserve to be motherless.


    "Same price as before," I said.  I took a second step back.


    She took a step forward.  "Are you sure? That is extremely generous of you.  I was prepared to pay more. I know that some of your supply had been taken and I''m in a dire situation."


    "Same deal - friend.  Let''s arrange to meet later and I''ll bring the chocolate and you can transfer the money."


    She closed her eyes.  I took two steps back before she opened them.  I saw the pink. Her face twisted in pain and she closed her eyes again.


    I shook my head.  Vai wasn''t wrong. But still - she was a mother.


    Her eyes flashed open.  "I''m sorry," she said softly.  She rushed me.


    I stumbled over my own feet and fell to my back onto the hard floor.  Red pain spread through my back, but it wasn''t too intense. The gray ceiling looked down at me.  I didn''t have time to react before she was on me. Her hands squeezed my neck. I couldn''t take in air.  The only thing I could think of as I looked into her twisted face and pink eyes was that she was someone''s mother.


    My hands wrapped around her wrists and I tried to pull her off, but she was surprisingly strong.  Maybe the Corruption made her stronger. My lungs burned. I gasped, but nothing would get passed her hands through my throat.  Pain was in my neck, throat, lungs, back and it was beginning to spread everywhere. I was beginning to get dizzy.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I let go of her wrists and gathered the light in my palms.  I didn''t want to hurt her, but I couldn''t breath. I put my hands in front of her eyes and released the light.


    She gasped and fell backwards as the corridor was filled with a bright, white light that blinded her.  It should have blinded me, but I saw everything through the light. Maybe because it was mine. Maybe because the light had been opened in me.


    I sat up and rubbed my neck gently.  Adi held her hands over her eyes. Esther came out of the maintenance hatch.  She sat behind Adi and wrapped her legs around her so she couldn''t escape. One hand grabbed both of Adi''s wrists and pulled them down and held them tight.  Her other arm wrapped around Adi''s neck. The bright light didn''t seem to bother her like it had Adi.


    I couldn''t move as Adi tried to break free.  Esther held her tight. The light I had released dimmed and Adi blinked at me with her blue eyes.  Her mouth opened in a gasp, but nothing came in or out. I could almost hear her say, ''Save me. I''m a mother.''  To her imagined words I shook my head. She had the Corruption. She tried to kill me. But she was someone I knew personally.  So many people loved her. And she was Spencer''s mom.


    Adi struggled harder against Esther''s grip.  I could see Esther''s tense muscles as they bulged underneath the sleeves of her black shirt.  A teardrop spilled from Adi''s eyes followed quickly by more. The coloring of her skin and lips began to change as she struggled for oxygen.


    Pink smoke began to come out of Adi''s ears and drift slowly towards Esther.  Esther saw the Corruption, but she didn''t stop choking Adi. I remembered the video of those who had died on the Lion of Judah Research Station.  I didn''t want the same thing to happen to Esther.


    I formed the flame in my hands and finally moved.  I reached Adi and Esther before the Corruption reached Esther.  They had been taking their time, but realizing I was there, they rushed at her.  I caught two handfuls of the pink smoke and burned them in my flames.


    Esther formed a pink barrier around the parts of her that were not touching Adi.  Her head and back mostly. The Corruption I hadn''t been able to catch began to congregate on her arms.  I didn''t hesitate as I moved my flaming hands just above her skin. She didn''t indicate she was in pain when the Corruption on her began to burn but so did her skin.  I pulled away as soon as I saw the last of the Corruption burn away.


    Esther finally let go of Adi and Adi fell unmoving and stiff to the ground.  She was dead.


    "We had a plan," Esther said as she stood up.  "Why didn''t you stick to it?"


    I couldn''t look away from the dead face.  She had been smiling only minutes before. She had just wanted chocolate for her restaurant.  Who would open her restaurant now? People would notice right away that she was missing.


    "Owen."  Esther''s hand on my shoulder finally got me to look up at her.  I had helped her kill a person. It wasn''t like the first time where she had done it so quickly Vai and I didn''t have time to react or the second time where she had done it herself.  I had helped plan this. I had lured Adi out.


    My stomach churned violently.  The muscles in my stomach contracted in great heaves.  I turned away from Esther and Adi - the body - and vomited.  My breakfast was a strange black-green against the gray floor.


    Esther sighed and put her hand on my back.  She patted me gently. "It''s okay, Owen," she said softly.  "It''s okay."


    I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.  I looked at the orange material to see if any of the vomit got on it, but it didn''t appear that way.


    "It''s okay."  Esther continued to pat my back.  It occured to me she wasn''t only consoling me.  She was consoling herself to.


    I turned and hugged her around the waist.


    "It''s okay," I said to her because I thought she needed to hear the words too.  There was a moment of stillness before Esther''s arms wrapped around me and returned the hug.


    "You should get to your quarters and login to school," Esther said.  "I''ll go to your quarters with the body and hide out in your bathroom until you and Vai get out of school.  Then Vai can come with his mechatronic and take care of the evidence."


    She pulled away from the hug and I let my arms fall to my side.  She released her handheld sweeper and it cleaned up the vomit. Esther picked up the body and threw it over her shoulder.  She took a step towards the open maintenance shaft, but turned back to me.


    "You turned your camera distorter on like we talked about, right?"


    "Yes," I said.  I looked at my okulus to make sure it was still turned on.  "Yes," I said again.


    "Good.  They will have no reason to suspect your involvement then."  She placed the body inside the maintenance shaft and crawled in after it.  The handheld sweeper flew back to her. "Your father won''t be in your quarters will he?"


    "If he is, I''ll find away to get rid of him for a little bit."


    Esther nodded.  "I''ll see you soon in your quarters then."


    I made it back to my quarters.  My mom would have gone to work by now so the only possibility would be my dad being home.  He had started meeting with a few other musicians recently and formed a string quartet so there was a possibility he was with them.


    The living area was empty.  "Dad?" There was no answer.  I went and knocked on his bedroom door.  It was met with silence.


    The door to the corridor slid open when I went to it and I signaled to the nearest maintenance hatch.  I wasn''t really sure if Esther was there yet, but I signaled anyway. The maintenance hatch opened and Esther crawled out.  She pulled Adi - the body - out with her. I went to help, but by the time I got there, she had already had the body over her shoulder and was walking towards my quarters.  I replaced the hatch and followed her. The door slid shut behind us. She didn''t hesitate as she walked to my bedroom door which slid open to allow her. When I got to my room, she was already in the bathroom.


    "Hurry and login to the ansible for school," she called out.  "I''ve got it handled here."


    I hesitated.  It seemed like I should help her, although there wasn''t really anything to help her with and my absence from school would be noted.


    I crawled onto my bed and reshaped my okulus to fit around my head.  I logged into the ansible and then the school program.


    "You''re late," Teacher Miller said as I popped into the classroom.


    "My greatest apologies," I said with my warmest voice.  "I overslept."


    "Again?  This is a bad habit," she said.


    I sat in my seat.  "One I am trying desperately to rectify," I said.  "Please, continue with class. I am eager to learn."  I thought I sounded like myself - like I just hadn''t killed someone.


    She turned her eyes away from me and began the class.  Shel, Minmin and Vai all looked at me. I hadn''t told Shel and Minmin our plan, but maybe Vai had before class.  That didn''t seem likely though in case someone would overhear. Minmin and Shel were very clever and observant. They had probably figured out on their own that something was happening.  I wondered if Shel had told his mom everything.


    I smiled and waved at them as if there wasn''t a dead mother in my bathroom.  I usually avoided looking towards the back where Spencer sat, but this time I looked.  I wished I could tell him that I was sorry, but that his mom had the Corruption in her and she tried to kill me.


    My fingers touched my neck where she had choked me.  Of course no marks would show in the ansible. Maybe my self in the real world already had bruises.


    Halfway through class Spencer suddenly announced, "I''ve got to go," and logged off the ansible before Teacher Miller could say anything.  He must have found out his mother was missing.


    I didn''t like him, but he didn''t deserve to have a murdered mother.

 Chapter 5 .

    Vai


    "What''s going on?" Shel asked as soon as class was over.  He and Minmin always seemed to be able to read right through Owen and me even through our ansible selfs.


    "We can''t talk about it here," Owen said.  His eyes drifted to Spencer''s empty seat.


    Minmin and Shel looked at each other.


    "Fine," Minmin said.  "We''ll call you later."  She didn''t say goodbye - just logged out of the ansible.


    Shel looked at us a moment longer and then he too logged off without saying goodbye.


    "Come to my quarters," Owen said and then logged off.


    I stayed a moment longer after everyone else had left the school program.  I didn''t want to face what would be in Owen''s room.


    I logged off and reshaped my okulus.  I put it around my wrist. Warpaint waited by my bed with an algae nutrition bar.


    "How was class today, sir?  Did you learn a lot? Did you have a fine time with your much younger friends?"


    I took a bite of the algae bar.


    "School was fine," I said.  He followed me out of the quarters and into the corridor.


    "Are we going to your young friend Owen''s place again?  Honestly, sir, I''m not sure about him. I don''t think he and Esther are a good influence on you."


    "Warpaint, please don''t talk so openly about them."  No one would think it was weird I was going to Owen''s place, but Esther wouldn''t be in the ship''s listing if someone overheard and decided to look her up.


    "Very well, sir."


    I finished the algae bar as we reached Owen''s door.  It slid open and Owen greeted us.


    "Is your dad home?" I asked.  I didn''t see Esther.


    "I don''t know."  He walked to his bedroom.  Warpaint and I stepped inside and the door slid closed behind us.


    Owen wasn''t himself.  He walked in a daze. His shoulder bumped into the doorframe.


    "Are you all right?" I asked him as I stepped into the room behind him.  The door slid shut behind Warpaint.


    "Sure.  Fine. We just killed Spencer''s mom."


    "What happened to your neck?"  There were red marks on his neck.  He reached up and touched them gingerly.


    "She tried - the Corruption made her choke me."


    It was hard to imagine the smiling woman I saw the night before choke anyone.  How many others had the Corruption taken over?


    "I could use your mechatronic to take care of the body," Esther said from the doorframe of the bathroom.


    Warpaint looked at me.  I nodded at him. He walked into the bathroom.  I didn''t follow. I didn''t want to see Adi dead.


    "Are you all right? Do you need to go to medical?" I asked Owen.


    Esther answered.  "And tell them what?  Adi strangled Owen so I killed her, but I had already planned to kill her to begin with."  We both stared at her.


    "Are you all right?" I asked her.


    "I wasn''t the one who got strangled," she said.


    "I didn''t mean physically," I said.


    Warpaint came out of the bathroom with his front opened and ash inside.


    "I''m fine," Esther said, but I wasn''t sure she meant it.  She had killed three people. Did that make her a serial killer or a hero or something else entirely?


    "And your neck?" I said to Owen.


    "She''s right.  We can''t go to medical.  I''ll be fine."


    I nodded and went into the bathroom.  I found a gray cloth to use to wipe out Warpaint.  It was almost becoming routine.


    "We need to find more of them," Esther said.  "We will be arriving at Doussix in a few weeks.  I''m not sure how I''m going to get to the surface yet, but I need to.  We can''t lead the Corruption to the Awakened One."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    I finished cleaning Warpaint and tossed the cloth with Owen''s other dirty clothes.  Esther used her handheld sweeper to get rid of the ash that had spilled onto the floor.


    "I guess," Owen said, "that Vai and I should just walk around and see if we can see pink in anyone''s eyes.  Unless either of you have a better idea."


    "Vai can steal his dad''s list," Esther said.


    "That''s not possible," I replied.


    "And I really can''t allow that," Warpaint said.  "Stop trying to corrupt the elder."


    My okulus beeped with an incoming call.  "Shel," I said to Esther and Owen. We had told them everything - well, except Spencer''s dead mother, but that had just happened.  I answered the call.


    Shel''s and Minmin''s images came in through my volo.  Their eyes both drifted to Esther. Esther stared back at them.  They were in living quarters. I couldn''t tell if it was Shel''s or Minmin''s.  I obviously hadn''t been to the other ship to differentiate. There wasn''t much of a difference between quarters on these ships anyway.


    "Friends," Owen said in his usual bright voice - something that had been lacking since I arrived at his quarters.  "This is Esther. Esther, this is Minmin and Shel." They gave brief nods to each other.


    "So," Shel said once the greetings were done, "do you want to tell us what happened?  It seems like you know why Spencer left class early."


    There was silence.  How could I tell them we killed our classmate''s mother?


    "Does someone in his life have the Corruption?" Minmin asked.


    "His mother," Esther said.


    "And what are you going to do about it?" Shel asked.  "Have you kidnapped her already? Is that why Spencer left early?"


    "What happened to your neck?" Minmin asked Owen.


    "Spencer''s mother choked me," he said quietly.


    There was a brief pause before Minmin said, "Where is she?"


    "She''s dead," I said quietly.


    "Then you did the right thing," a new female voice said.  A Bundu-Jo stepped in behind Shel and Minmin. She had to be Shel''s mother.  They were the same shade of blue and their eyes and nose were the same. Her white stripes were different.  "There is no escaping the miasmids once they get a hold of you,"


    "Miasmids?" Esther took a step forward.


    "That''s what they call themselves," Shel''s mother said.  "Although I like the Corruption better. It''s a better description."


    "How do you know what they call themselves?" Esther asked.  It didn''t sound accusing. In fact, it sounded almost hopeful.  For some reason she seemed to have instantly identified with Shel''s mom.


    "Torture," Shel''s mother said easily.


    "How can you torture the Corruption?" Esther asked.  It almost felt like the rest of us weren''t there. "They don''t talk.  Do they? Do they and I just don''t know?"


    "Obviously they can talk to each other and their hosts," Shel''s mother said.  "But that is telepathy rather than actual words. No. We can''t understand them.  They have to be tortured while in their host''s body."


    "How do you do that?" Esther asked.


    Shel''s mother touched the bottom stud in her ear.  "Aether Field. A small aether field won''t kill them, but the vibrations will hurt them and their host."


    "Is that what is in your ear?" Esther stepped even closer to the images projected through my volo.  "Why don''t we all have those?"


    "And have a constant vibration in your ear?" Shel''s mother said.


    "Shel has only complained about his vibrating once and that was when Warpaint''s Aether shield was up," Owen said.


    I remembered that time planetside.  My one and only trip planetside. The native predators had tried to kill us in an upturned transport.  Warpaint''s shield was the only thing that had saved us. Shel had mentioned the ear studs vibrating, but before he could take them out, my father''s voice spoke through Warpaint that Shel should never take them out.


    "Only a small number of Bundu-Jo can handle them," Shel''s mom said.  "No other alien species that I know of can."


    "My father knows then," I said, "about miasmids."


    "Yes and he must absolutely not find out that you know.  I know a lot about you, Vai. More than anyone here." She gave me a certain look and I knew she knew I had slept for almost 80 years.  "Not a lot of us know about the miasmids and we keep quiet so they won''t kill us. There are many miasmids in high ranking places with a lot of power.  There are many in lower stations too. They spread themselves out strategically. They still want to destroy the Gathering, but they are going for a subtle approach this time instead of direct war as what happened with the K''thaktran war."


    "So, pretty lady," Owen said, "you have a lot of information that it seems your willing to share with us, but we don''t even know your name."


    "Don''t do that," Shel said flatly.


    "What?" Owen asked.


    "Pretty lady?  She''s my mother."


    "But she is pretty," Owen said.


    "It''s nice to be complimented every now and then," Shel''s mom put a hand on his shoulder.  "And my name is El."


    "Just don''t do that anymore," Shel said to Owen.


    "Okay," Owen said.  "I''ll respect that calling your mom pretty lady makes you uncomfortable and won''t do it anymore."


    "You never called me pretty lady," Minmin said.


    "That''s because you''re pretty, but adorable and I thought you''d hate it if I called you adorable."


    "I would."


    "And you," Owen said to Esther, "are pretty too."


    The right side of Esther''s mouth almost turned up into a half smile.


    "Shel told me about the Lion of Judah Research Station," El said to Esther.  "I would like you to send me your vids. I''ll keep them to myself for now, but I would like to see the miasmids kill outside of host bodies.  I''ve never heard of that before." All 3 of our okulus''s beeped with El''s contact information. I assumed she got our contact info from Shel - except Shel didn''t have Esther''s contact information.


    "Sorry for her abruptness," Shel said to Esther.  I hadn''t noticed it at first, but now that I looked I could see the pain in Esther''s face at the mention of the Lion of Judah Research Station.  "My mom was a Jo-Dinun."


    Esther''s face brightened.  "Can you teach us? How to fight?"


    I thought Esther was already an amazing fighter.  She could go one on one with my mechatronic bodyguard after all.


    El smiled.  "I have a lot to teach and I think I have a lot to learn from you as well.  I would like to see the light Shel mentioned in person. It''s too bad you can''t join in the sparring sessions with me and Shel and Minmin."


    "Minmin spars with you too?" Owen asked.


    "Just recently," Minmin said.


    "What have you done with the bodies?" El asked.


    "My mechatronic has been burning them," I said.


    "Excellent," El said.  "Keep up the good work."


    "Do you know of those with the Corruption on the Shadow?" Esther asked.


    "I know of a few," El answered.  "I know more on the Armstar.  I''ll send you a list of who I know.  Contact me before you act against them though.  You''ve already gathered enough attention and I don''t want you to gather anymore of the wrong attention.  Captain Axa is off limits for now."


    All three of us nodded.


    "Good," El said.  "Then I''ll be in touch."  With a nod from his mom, Shel ended the call.

 Chapter 6 .

    Vai


    "Well, that happened," Owen said.  "Looks like we have an adult on our side and a Jo-Dinun at that."


    "I really wish she was on the same ship so she could teach me," Esther said.


    "At least there is an adult now with some sense," Warpaint said.


    Shel had really told his mother everything.  At least she was in agreement to keep it from my father.  How long could we keep this from the other parents though?  Esther was in Owen''s room practically everyday and Minmin''s mom was the second officer on the Armstar.  Minmin hadn''t mentioned either of her parents acting strangely so I assumed her family was still free of the Corruption.


    Our okulus''s buzzed at the same time.  It was the list from El. There were ten people on the list including Captain Axa and the third officer.  It was only people currently on the Shadow.  Maybe that meant she intended to take care of the ones on the Armstar herself.  But she didn''t have the light or the Aether Field Prototype so I wasn''t sure she could kill the Corruption.  In the end, she really hadn''t given us much information.


    "This one might be good to get next," Esther said as she looked down at her okulus.


    "Which one," Owen asked.


    "Alessandra Garcia."  Esther looked up at me and my heart dropped because I knew Alessandra.  I said hello to her every time I went to visit my father. "She''s a scientist in your father''s labs."


    "I guess it''s your turn to lure someone out," Owen said.  His cheeks went slightly yellow and I thought he might vomit.  He turned away from all of us.


    "This is a shipwide announcement," a woman''s voice came over the ship''s speakers.  "If you have seen the owner of the Starrise, Adi Pines, or anyone or anything suspicious around the Starrise or Adi Pines, please contact security immediately."


    "Sir," Warpaint said when the announcement was through, "Alessandra Garcia is a respected scientist.  She works directly with your father. You''ve held me back before, but I strongly believe I should tell your father all about this and you should stop hanging out with these much younger friends."


    "Why does he always emphasize that we are younger?" Esther asked Owen.  "You and Vai are the same age and I''m just a year younger."


    "I know, it''s weird," Owen replied.  "I guess Vai''s father programmed him that way to be overprotective."  He shrugged a shoulder.


    "Warpaint," I said, "has my father ever told you not to leave me alone with certain people? With Alessandra Garcia?"


    "Yes, sir," Warpaint said.


    "He said Alessandra Garcia specifically?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Then she has the Corruption inside her and my father knows it," I said.


    "We should still confirm it," Owen said, "just in case they are mistaken."


    I nodded.  "We won''t take her unless we see the pink in her eyes."


    To Warpaint I said, "Isn''t it better to be on the offensive rather than the defensive?  Remember Mars and me screaming? I know you don''t remember everything because my father commanded you to forget, but the Corruption already attacked me.  I''m defending myself."


    "Very well, sir."


    I went into Owen''s bathroom and got his first aid kit.  I took out the cream and went to Owen.


    "For the bruising on your neck," I said.  I put a small amount on my fingers. The green light tingled in my fingers with the sensation of the cream.  I wasn''t sure why. I hadn''t called it out of me. Why couldn''t my light work normally like Owen''s fire and Esther''s wind throwback power.  It came when I didn''t call it and wouldn''t do anything when I did call it. The sensation quickly went away. I spread the cream over the read marks on Owen''s neck.


    "Thanks," he said.  "Esther too. I burned her skin a little when the Corruption tried to get her."


    Esther tried to pull her sleeves down over the burn marks right above her wrist, but I could still see the burned skin.  "I''m fine," she said.


    I put more cream on my fingers and went to her.  "There''s no harm in getting aid," I said. I took her wrist with one hand and spread the cream over the burns.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Thank you," she said.


    "No problem," I replied.  "It looks a little better already."  I put back the cream and the first aid kit.


    "So," Esther said, "can you go to your father''s lab now to see if you can confirm Alessandra has the Corruption?"


    I didn''t know much about Alessandra, but I had always liked her.


    "Then if she does have it, we can come up with a plan for you to lure her out," Owen said.  He seemed a little too anxious for me to have a part in this. Maybe he thought it would lessen his own guilt with how he lured out Adi if I did it too.


    "I''ll go to the labs now," I said.  But I stayed in place and sighed out low and long.


    Esther placed a warm hand over my wrist.  "It''s going to be okay," she said. "All of this is necessary for just not our survival, but the entire Gathering''s survival."


    I nodded.  "I''ll contact you when I know for sure."


    Esther dropped her hand and went to stand next to Owen.  Owen waved to me. I waved back and stepped out into the living quarters.  The bedroom door slid closed behind Warpaint. We were almost at the main door when it slid open and Owen''s dad stepped inside.


    He smiled when he saw me.  "Hello, Vai. It''s good to see you.  Are you leaving already? I''m always grateful when you spend time with Owen.  He doesn''t have many friends. Especially, after his smuggling incident."


    "I haven''t had very many friends either," I said.  I didn''t add that I used to, before my father stole almost eight decades of my life.  "I like Owen. He''s been a good friend for me."


    His smile grew wider at that.  "You are always welcome. Come over anytime."


    "Thank you."


    He stepped aside and Warpaint and I walked through the door into the corridor.  It didn''t take long to reach the labs. I paused at the door wondering what I was going to use as an excuse.  I could always pretend I was looking for my father, but what if he was there? Then what would be my excuse? I hoped he was on the bridge and not the labs.  I hoped he was anywhere else but here.


    The door slid open and I stepped inside.  It was still filled with scientists at this time of day.  I said hello to all of them and tried to keep my body from bumping into their stations.  I noted that Alessandra was there. It would have been nice if her station had been either close to the door or my father''s private lab, but she was in the middle of one of the aisles to the left of the entrance.  The walls and door of my father''s lab were glass so I could see he wasn''t inside, but I tried the door anyway. It was locked.


    I tried to make it seem like I was looking for my father in the main lab as I made my way to Alessandra''s station.  I purposely turned my head from side to side. I''d pause occasionally and tiptoe to look over stations even though I was tall enough that wasn''t necessary.


    Some of the scientists gave me strange looks, but most ignored me as they bent over microscopes or beakers or whatever else they were working on.


    Alessandra was working on some type of flora I didn''t recognize.  It looked like a red leaf the size of my hand, but with tiny barbs all over it.  She touched it delicately with her gloved hands. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail.  It cascaded down her back over her lab coat.


    I paused behind her and pretended to look over her bent back for my father.  She didn''t notice. I tiptoed. She still didn''t notice. I tried to make noise as I shifted back and forth on my feet, but nothing.


    I cleared my throat in a painfully obvious way.  She finally stood up straight and turned my way.


    "Hello, Vai."  She smiled. She held the barbed leaf in one hand and tiny tweezers in the other.


    "Hi," I said.  "Do you know where my father is?  I can''t find him."


    "Did you try calling him?"


    "He didn''t answer," I lied.


    She turned back to her station.  I frowned. I couldn''t see her eyes with her back to me.


    "He''s been on the bridge most of the day," she said.  She carefully plucked off a tiny barb with her tweezers and put it in a small dish.  "You should be able to find him there."


    "Thank you.  What are you working on?"


    She spun around excitedly with the leaf and tweezers.  "Isn''t it fascinating? It''s a leaf from the spinebush of Mazax VIII.  It''s been studied before, but not by me. I''m bound to find something new, right?"


    I nodded.  No sign of pink in her eyes.


    "Maybe the K''thaktra used it in the K''thaktra war," I said.  I was desperate to get the Corruption inside her (possibly) to reveal themselves.  "Maybe that''s how the pink smoke was formed. You know, the one that boosted them up into a killing frenzy."


    Her face darkened.  The pink glint was there for only the briefest of moments.


    She forced a smile.  "Maybe." She turned back to her station.


    "Thanks for your time," I said.  "I don''t want to disturb my father if he''s on the bridge.  I''ll just speak with him later."


    I took two steps away from her and then a sudden thought popped in my head.


    "Would you like to go to dinner sometime?"  I supposed Owen''s example was good for something.


    Her smile was back.  "I think you''re a little young for me," she said.


    "Not as a date," I said.  "More like a preparation for a date for when I turn 18."


    She nodded.  "Maybe sometime."  She turned to her work.  "I''ve got to get this done today though."


    "I''ll contact you then," I said.  I didn''t think she was really interested in a date just as I wasn''t.  I thought the Corruption had an alternative motive just like I had. I walked out of the lab and typed a message to Esther and Owen.  As an afterthought I also added El, Shel and Minmin. They were part of this now too even if they weren''t physically on the ship. Was it my father who told El Alessandra Garcia had the Corruption?


    ?I have confirmed the Corruption in Alessandra.  I asked her to dinner sometime. We''ll move on her then.


    I received a message from Owen right away.


    ?Right on.  Didn''t know you had it in you.  Although, I guess it''s not a real date so I shouldn''t be excited.  I kind of forgot what comes after, my friend.


    Esther''s message came in as Warpaint and I got on the elevator to go back to our quarters.


    ?Just let me know when.  I''ll be ready to act.


    Shel and Minmin didn''t respond.  I knew they saw the message. Maybe they thought everyone else said everything that needed to be said.  Maybe they were too new to this and didn''t know how to respond.


    Shel''s mother responded.


    ?Good job.  I can''t be there, but it seems like you three are doing well.  Keep me informed and let me know if you need me to supply you with anything.


    And that was it.  We had the basis for a plan to kill our next person.

 Chapter 7 .

    Vai


    I had wanted to contact Alessandra the day after I talked with her in the lab, but Shel''s mother had told me to wait.  I wasn''t sure Alessandra would contact me. I was the one who had invited her to dinner and she was older than I was so she might think it wasn''t appropriate.  El had assured me that the miasmids would have her contact me. They wanted me specifically. I assumed it had something to do with my father. Maybe they thought if they could take over me they could find out what my father was working on.  They had tried and failed on Mars.


    Three days after the lab, I was in Owen''s room with Owen and Esther and Warpaint.  Esther hadn''t left Owen''s room since we killed Adi. Adi had been well loved and the Security checks on the restricted levels had increased to a point where it was too dangerous for any of us to be there.  That meant we were limited in how much we could spar. There was only so much we could do in Owen''s room. Mostly Owen and I went to the gym. I did boxing while he practiced martial arts. I wasn''t sure what Esther did.  Maybe she was so good she didn''t need to spar.


    When we were together in Owen''s room, we tried to discover new things with the light.  Esther had discovered she could actually make herself float a little off the ground.


    Owen could make a tiny flame anywhere on his person - not just on his hands.


    And then there was me.  I sat on Owen''s bed. Warpaint stood by my side.  I called the green light to the palm of my hand.


    Do something, I thought at it.  My palm tingled a little, but nothing else happened.


    "Maybe it''s just raw power," Esther said to me as she floated above the gray floor.  "Try to float, like me."


    I had tried that already, but nothing happened.  I hadn''t told Owen or Esther I had tried though so I stood up, focused the light on my feet like I did to enhance my jumping.  Nothing happened.


    "Jump a little," Esther encouraged.


    I jumped only slightly, but with the enhancement from the light still banged my head into the ceiling.  I didn''t float, but immediately fell back to the floor. I landed hard with one knee on the floor.


    I looked at Owen''s closed bedroom door expecting his dad to come in.  Esther had already retreated to the bathroom. Her head peeked out from the doorway.  No parent came to inspect the noise.


    "My dad left already," Owen said.  He sat at his desk completely at ease as he tossed a white little ball of fire from hand to hand.


    "I don''t think floating works for me," I said.


    "Fire then," Owen said.  He closed his little fist around the fireball and it went out.


    I sat back on Owen''s bed.  "I already tried fire. That didn''t work either.  Nothing happens except a little tingle."


    "Maybe it can help you be super strong, my friend," Owen said.


    "Maybe," I said.  I hadn''t thought of using the light in that way.  I stood up. "Your parents never go in your bathroom, right?"


    "Of course not," Owen said.  "Esther would have been discovered long before now if they did."


    I walked past Esther and into the bathroom.  Warpaint was close behind me. I looked around the little bathroom.  The walls were a cream tile, same as the floor. There was the toilet, the sink, the shower and a little cabinet.  I formed the green light around my hand and hit the sink as hard as I could. Nothing really happened to the sink other than a loud noise when I hit it.  I immediately recoiled my hand and held it to my chest just before I realized that my hand didn''t hurt.


    "I don''t have super strength," I said, "but I didn''t get hurt so maybe that''s my specialty."


    "I don''t think so," Esther said.  "It''s just a shield. I can form one to.  Everyone on the Lion of Judah Research Station could."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    So I still didn''t have anything special with my light.  My okulus buzzed. Alessandra. Shel''s mother had been right.


    "Alessandra is calling me," I said.


    "Answer by the wall of the bedroom," Owen said.  "All the walls are painted the same. She won''t know it''s in my room and not yours."


    Owen and Esther stood away from me so they wouldn''t be in the call.  Warpaint was by my side as always.


    "Hello," I answered the call.


    "Hi."  It was the first time I saw Alessandra not in her lab coat and with her wavy hair down.  "I''m free now. Do you want to meet at the Museum Delectables?"


    "Yes."  My heart started to beat against my chest.  My stomach started to twist. My hands grew cold.  "I''ll see you there." I ended the call.


    "Owen and I will go in the maintenance shafts and meet you in the corridor behind the Museum Delectables," Esther said.  "You just need to get her there with her back to the maintenance hatch. I can take care of the rest."


    I nodded.  I tried to ignore the torrent inside.  I tried not to remember I was luring someone to kill her.


    "I''ll send El a message to let her know," Esther went on.


    I looked at Warpaint expecting a protest, but he was silent.  His protests had halted once Shel''s mother got involved. I guess having a former Jo-Dinun on our side finally convinced him.


    "Let''s go, sir," Warpaint said.  "I won''t let the miasmids hurt you.  I can use the Aether shield if I need to."


    "I know.  Thanks, Warpaint."  I wasn''t really worried about my safety.  I was now convinced my father had programmed him to protect me with miasmids specifically in mind.  When I was young, I had imagined myself fighting the K''thaktra in the war and being a hero. I had imagined myself killing hundreds of them.  Now, actually going to kill someone - someone with the real enemy inside - I didn''t want to do it. She wasn''t a nameless K''thaktran face.


    "Let''s go," I said.


    I started to head out when Esther said, "Make sure your distorter is turned on."


    I waited until I was out in the corridor and then I turned the distorter on that would hide me from the cameras.


    "What about your thing, Warpaint? You said you had something similar?"  I felt rather than saw Esther and Owen in the corridor behind me. I heard the maintenance hatch open.


    "I''ve turned it on already, sir," Warpaint said.


    The maintenance hatch closed.


    I nodded.  Warpaint and I headed down a level on the elevators.  Alessandra didn''t arrive before us. We were seated near the back, but I positioned myself so I could see her when she came in.  I ordered a lemonade as I waited.


    I saw her before she saw me.  Her expression as she came in was dark, serious, as if she was on a mission.  She might have been on a mission for the miasmids. They couldn''t take over me now that I had the light though.  Did they know I had the light? I didn''t think so. The first person Esther had killed before Owen and I had the light.  The second one she had killed on her own. I hadn''t been present for the third one. It didn''t seem like the miasmids knew for sure who Esther was or where exactly she was at or that Owen and I were involved so however they communicated, I think Esther killed them - or in the first one''s case sedated - before they could communicate with each other.


    She saw me and for the briefest of moments I saw the pink glint in her eyes.  Then her eyes were brown again and she smiled and waved. I smiled back. She slid into the seat across the table from me.


    "We can''t call this a date," she said.  "You''re too young still."


    "It''s just a precursor date," I said easily.  It belied the roil inside. "It''s less than a year until I turn 18."


    "I''m not sure your father would like you dating either," she said.


    "I''m sure he''d rather I date a scientist like you than . . ."  I had almost said Callie. I had almost revealed my other life.


    "Than what?"


    "Than a girl with an old Levitric repulsor who would take me high above Olympus City."


    "Someone real?"  She put her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands.


    "Just a dream I had once," I said.  "My father hated that dream."


    She nodded.  "It does sound like something he would hate."


    The waiter came to take our order.  We talked about meaningless things over dinner - what school was like in the ansible, what it was like to work in my father''s labs.  Mostly my thoughts were occupied on how I was going to get her into the corridor behind the Museum Delectables. She never even looked at Warpaint through dinner and the mechatronic didn''t say anything either as he stood by me.


    We finished dinner.  I still hadn''t come up with an excuse to go in the corridor behind the restaurant, but there was no reason for me to have stressed over it so much as she said, "Let''s go for a walk."  She immediately headed directly where I wanted her to. I didn''t follow right away because something didn''t feel right. My first thought was that it was a trap the miasmids had set for me.  But the miasmids didn''t know about Esther and Owen in the maintenance hatch and I had Warpaint. I stepped in beside her.


    Neither of us said anything as we walked along the corridor.  There was no one around. The maintenance hatch wasn''t that far away.  It was in view, but not close enough. I needed to somehow position her so her back would be to it.


    Warpaint made a strange mechanical noise behind me.  I turned. Electrical currents ran along his white surface and he was stiff like he couldn''t move.  It took me a moment before I spotted the disruptor Alessandra had placed on him. I hadn''t expected that.  Disruptors like this one were illegal and it looked like she had made it herself.


    "I''m sorry," she said to me.  Pink was in her eyes. I heard a noise beyond the maintenance hatch, but it didn''t open.


    The Corruption came out of her ears in a pink smoke and rushed me.

 Chapter 8 .

    Vai


    I knew the Corruption wanted me, but had never expected them to get by Esther and Warpaint.  They obviously didn''t know I had the light yet as the pink smoke rushed towards my face.


    I suddenly remembered my fight with Thrissko - the pink smoke that was all around - how he lifted the smoke to my mouth - how I had screamed and screamed.  Papa and his crazy minions standing around me chanting things I couldn''t understand while I was wrapped in pain and screamed. Papa and his people weren''t really crazy though.  The Corruption had control over them just like Alessandra in front of me and the K''thaktrans during the K''thaktra war. Maybe having the Corruption inside did make one crazy. Alessandra would have never done this to me if she had a say.


    I formed a shield around me with the light right as the pink smoke reached me.  I had seen Esther''s video of the Lion of Judah Research Station. None of their shields had lasted long against the Corruption.  Of course there had been thousands, tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, there. Here in front of me were only a few handfuls and I assumed there were more that stayed inside Alessandra to make sure she obeyed them.  Why did so many of the Corruption enter one person? Did it make it easier for them to control them? Thrissko had lifted the pink smoke to my mouth handful after handful.


    "What is this?" Alessandra asked as she watched the smoke hover above my skin.


    I could feel the tiny cuts in the light shield as the Corruption tried to get inside almost as if it were my own skin.  It didn''t hurt. It was just a sensation - an awareness. The light closed the cuts as quickly as they formed.


    I couldn''t form fire like Owen or power like Esther, but I scooped up a handful of the pink smoke.  I could feel the tiny aliens move around. They tried to cut through the shield around the palm of my hand.  I wasn''t sure how they were cutting it - with their teeth? Maybe little knives? Maybe they had a power similar to the light that could cut.  I focused on the green light and tried to turn that cutting sensation back at them.


    I felt it as they died.  It wasn''t that they just stopped moving - although that was part of it.  Their little lives in my hand disintegrated. I opened my palm. There was no trace of them left.  No little body parts, no pink smoke. Nothing.


    There was a loud bang from the maintenance hatch.


    "Open it," Owen''s voice said desperately.


    "I''m trying," Esther replied with equal desperation.


    A quick glance at Warpaint - he was still stiff with that electric current running over him from the disruptor on his shoulder.  But he blinked his mechanical eyes and I don''t think he was supposed to be able to do that from the look on Alessandra''s face.


    The remaining pink smoke retreated back inside Alessandra.  She shook her head and a wave of pain washed over her face.


    "I''m sorry," she said to me.  "This is unexpected. I have to."


    She threw something at me.  It was small. It landed by my feet.  An electric charge came out, wound around my shoes, up my legs and body before I realized it.  My shield kept some of the charge out, but not all of it. The shock slithered through me.


    I heard a strange mechanical sound come from somewhere.  Maybe Warpaint. Maybe back behind me from the maintenance hatch.  Maybe both. I couldn''t concentrate as my body tingled-burned-shocked from the charge.  It wasn''t a strong charge and it died away quickly, but it stunned me enough to let Alessandra get close.


    She charged me with her right hand closed in a fist out forward coming towards my stomach.  I stepped light on my feet to the side and boxed her hand away. That was when I realized she held a vibroblade in her hand.


    The Corruption knew they couldn''t take me over so now they were trying to kill me.


    Warpaint slightly moved his head, but that was all.  I didn''t know what was happening in the maintenance hatch and why Esther and Owen couldn''t get out of it, but I couldn''t worry about that now.


    "I''m sorry too," I said.  I punched her in the face.


    She staggered backwards.  She''s trying to kill me.  I didn''t want to do this, but it was why I called her out in the first place.  I grabbed her head between my hands. Her head seemed so tiny compared to my large hands - miniscule.  She''s trying to kill me.  The Corruption is trying to kill me.  I twisted hard like I saw Esther do.  Her neck popped and Alessandra went limp in my hands.  The vibroblade dropped and clattered. I let her go and she fell hard to the ground.  Pink smoke came out of her. More than the first time. I wasn''t sure my shield could keep them all out.


    Warpaint moved his arm and ripped the disruptor off his shoulder.  Red spread throughout his chrome body. The air changed like it had on Brist when the black predators had tried to get us.  Warpaint''s Aether Shield rushed out from him and wrapped around the space between him and me. It encased all of the Corruption.  The pink smoke wisped away into nothingness.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Use your power and blast it open," Owen said.  I hadn''t realized they were still talking.


    "No," Esther said.  "It''s okay. Vai''s okay."


    Warpaint released the shield.  The red retreated back into the lines on his white body.  He walked passed me to the maintenance hatch. I went with him partly because I wanted to know why they couldn''t get out, but mainly because I didn''t want to look at Alessandra''s dead body.


    There was a homemade mechanical lock on it.  It seemed similar in make to the disruptor that had been placed on Warpaint.  Warpaint dismantled the lock and opened the maintenance hatch. Esther stepped out gracefully.  Owen stumbled out after her.


    "You did well," Esther said to me.


    "Thanks," I said.  I wasn''t sure that was an appropriate response to killing someone.


    Warpaint walked passed us, opened his front and put Alessandra inside.  He closed himself and the heat wafted off him.


    "You didn''t even need us," Owen said.  There was a cheerfulness to his voice, but it wasn''t his true voice.  His blue eyes avoided the spot Alessandra''s body had just been and the fallen vibroblade.


    "If I had you by my side," I said, "I probably wouldn''t have been electrocuted."


    "True," Esther said.  She picked up and pocketed the vibroblade.  She also picked up the device that had been thrown at my feet.


    Owen didn''t say anything as he looked up at me, but I could tell from his expression he was grateful for my words.


    "Sir," Warpaint said, "I really must tell your father this time.  Alessandra knew how to get passed me. I never expected that to happen.  I wasn''t prepared enough. My programing isn''t enough."


    "Warpaint," I said, "I don''t think you were supposed to get that disruptor off yourself.  She seemed surprised. I think you are remarkable."


    My mechatronic bodyguard seemed to stand up straighter, but that was probably just my imagination.


    "It is true, sir, that another mechatronic would not have been able to do it.  My programming is special. But I still am going to tell your father."


    "Let''s get back to Owen''s quarters," I said, "and clean you out and then call El.  She can tell us if the best course of action would be to tell my father."


    Warpaint didn''t reply right away.


    "We''ll meet you back at Owen''s quarters," Esther said as she grabbed Owen''s hand and led him back to the maintenance shaft.


    "But I was just in there," Owen groaned.  He followed her in though and closed the maintenance shaft behind him.


    I stared at Warpaint and waited.  I heard Owen and Esther as they shuffled away in the maintenance shaft.


    "Very well, sir," Warpaint said.  "I will wait until we have talked with the Jo-Dinun."


    We made our way back to Owen''s quarters.  We passed a few people in the corridors. I watched them closely, but of course no one was suspicious of us.  Why would they think the chief science officer''s son had anything to do with the disappearances on board?


    Music greeted us outside Owen''s quarters.  I didn''t know a lot about music, but I knew there were more instruments than Owen''s father''s viola.  Maybe it was just a recording. I knocked. The music immediately stopped and there was a lot of shuffling behind the door.


    The door slid open and Owen''s father greeted me.  Behind him were three other people, a Starwatcher with a violin, a human with a bass and a Bundu-Jo with a cello.  We weren''t going to be able to sneak Esther inside.


    "Hello," I said.


    "Hello, Vai," Owen''s father said kindly.  "I don''t think Owen''s in right now. I tried knocking on his bedroom door when I got back home, but there wasn''t an answer.  Do you want to come in and wait?"


    "No thank you.  Maybe he''s at the gym.  I can call him." I hoped I was as good at lying as Owen claimed he was.


    "Stop by anytime, Vai.  I''m glad to see Owen has a good friend like you.  You''ve really been a good influence on him."


    If only he knew I just killed someone with my bare hands.


    I nodded and walked away.  The door slid shut. I quickened my pace and sent a message through my okulus to Esther and Owen.


    ?Owen''s dad is home with company.  Come to my quarters instead.


    I made my way quickly to my quarters and went inside.  The living area was empty. I knocked on my father''s bedroom door.  "Father, are you inside?"


    Silence.


    "He isn''t home, sir," Warpaint said.


    There was a knock at the door.  I went and opened it. Esther and Owen were on the other side as it slid open.


    "Come in," I said.


    They stepped inside and followed me to my bedroom.


    "It always makes me nervous to be here," Esther said once safely inside.  "I can''t access the security cameras here. It makes me wonder if your father has access and can watch us."


    I wasn''t sure he needed to since he could just spy on me through Warpaint anytime he wanted.  I should ask El how to best handle that situation. Maybe I would send her a private message about it.  Even if I could somehow dismantle it so he couldn''t spy on me through Warpaint, then he would know Warpaint had been tampered with and might increase his watch on me even more.  But how long could I keep running around doing what I was doing and be lucky enough each time that there wasn''t a moment my father spied on me while I killed someone or sparred with Esther.


    "Well, we can''t just walk you passed my father," Owen said.


    "Open yourself up, Warpaint," I said.  "I''ll clean you out." I retrieved a cloth from the bathroom and wiped him out so he was free of ash.


    "Here."  Owen handed Warpaint a volo.  "You seem to be collecting these."


    I hadn''t really registered it, but Warpaint had been collecting the volos of everyone we killed.


    "Why?" Esther asked Warpaint.


    "Perhaps the lieutenant commander can watch their histories and figure out how to best fight off the Corruption."


    "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa you mean," Esther said.  "Don''t tell him anything."


    "I will wait to get the advice of the Jo-Dinun," Warpaint said.


    "Let''s call her then," I said.  I called her. She immediately answered.  Shel was with her. Minmin wasn''t. It was starting to get late though, so Minmin was probably in her own quarters.  We told her everything that happened.


    "The miasmids will know they can''t simply take over you now," El said.  "Your mechatronic might be right. We might have to tell your father, Vai, but there might be repercussions to that too.  Especially for you and you''ve proven yourself tonight. I think we need you with us and not locked away like your father would like to do for your protection.  Let me think on this a bit more. I''ll get back to you." She ended the call.


    "I''d better get going then," Owen said.  "My dad will be expecting me."


    Esther and I were left alone.  Well, not completely alone. Warpaint was there.


    "You did do well today," Esther said.  "Honestly, I was more worried about you than Owen, but you proved yourself.  I don''t need to worry anymore."


    I wasn''t sure I would go that far.  There was a lot she didn''t know about me and my father.  Maybe she should still worry about me.

 Chapter 9 .

    Minmin


    Something shook my shoulder.  I came awake and realized I wasn''t alone in my room.  I kicked out with my blanket still wrapped around my legs.  I saw it was Shel a moment too late. He was slightly quicker than I was in my groggy state and he stepped aside of the kick.


    "What are you doing here?" I asked.  "How did you get in?"


    He pointed over his shoulder.  His mom stood by my bedroom door.  That explained how they got in, but why?


    "Vai killed someone who had been overtaken by the Corruption tonight," El said.  She looked up at the ceiling with that far away look she sometimes got while she trained me and Shel.  It always made my fur stand a little straighter. I didn''t think anyone but me noticed, but I brushed down the soft fur on my arms anyway.


    I waited.  With Shel''s mother it was best to be sure she was done talking before you spoke.  I learned that the hard way when I asked too many questions during my first session with Shel and his mother.  She had kicked my feet out from under me during one of my many questions. Not too many beings were faster than a Starwatcher.  Especially a Starwatcher who had been trained as I had. I had told Shel afterwards that he should have warned me, but he was surprised too.  Surprised that I didn''t know any better. He had assumed every parent taught their children the same way his parents had taught him. It hadn''t even occurred to him that I would be different and that I would need to be warned.


    El''s eyes snapped back to me.  I sat up a little straighter on the bed.  Maybe I should''ve stood at attention instead.


    "It''s time you and Shel did the same."


    I swallowed hard.  The saliva went down slowly and seemed to get stuck at one point, but maybe that was my imagination.  Did she expect us to kill someone?


    "We don''t have the light like they do," I said.  Shel had been looking at his mother, but his head whipped in my direction at this.  That was what made me realize I had probably spoken out of turn.


    "True," El said liquidly.  She glided to my side. She had this way of moving that made it seem like she was in water and not on land every time.  Bundu-Jo''s were comfortable in water. Out of all the aliens in the Gathering, they could swim the fastest, fight underwater and they could stay underwater without having to come up for air for an hour.  And that was an average. I suspected Shel and his mother could hold their breaths even longer. It wasn''t easy to suffocate a Bundu-Jo. A Starwatcher, however, had almost no experience in water. I knew how to swim, but I couldn''t hold my breath for longer than 30 seconds.  If they were so much better in the water, shouldn''t they be worse on land? But that wasn''t the case either. Not with Shel and El anyway. At least I could jump higher than either of them. I thought.


    El sat on the bed next to me and then I really wished I had chosen to stand at attention instead of remaining seated.


    "We don''t have the light."  She ran the palm of her hand over the fur on top of my head between my ears.  I would have protested except my mother used to do the same when I was younger and that was what it felt like - motherly affection.  Not patronizing. "But that doesn''t mean we are helpless. Until we can meet with Esther for her to bring out the light in us, we need to do what we can."


    "What can we do?" I asked forgetting that I should wait to be sure she was finished talking.


    A smile touched her blue lips.  "I''ll show you." She stood up and went to the bedroom door.  It slid open. "Let''s go," she said when she saw I hadn''t moved from my spot.


    "I''m in my pajamas."  My pajamas weren''t immodest or anything, I just thought it would look strange if I wandered the corridors in them.


    "Change then," she said.  "We''ll wait outside for you."


    Shel followed her out.  He didn''t have quite that same glide that his mother had.  I got up and quickly dressed. I doubted she told my parents she would be taking me out late at night.  I bit my bottom lip as I approached my bedroom door. I liked the idea of being a warrior, but I didn''t really want to kill anyone.


    I met them in the outer corridor.  We got on the elevator and went to level 4.  I didn''t dare ask where we were going. El obviously had something specific in mind.  If Shel knew, he didn''t share with me. His fists clenched tight by his side and his walk was a little stiffer than usual so I assumed he knew something.


    El stopped in front of one of the smaller quarters.  "You know what to do," she said to Shel. He didn''t reply, didn''t even nod.  "I''ve looped the cameras from here to the docking bay. We won''t be suspected."


    I checked the time on my okulus.  1:27 a.m. Gathering time. It was long before the pilots would start gathering around their shuttles, before the maintenance and cleaning crews would be about.  Hardly anyone would be around that time of night.


    Shel stepped in close to the door lock and connected his okulus to it.  His fingers worked quickly over his okulus. The door opened and he unhooked his okulus.  He didn''t look back as he stepped inside. The door slid shut behind him.


    El smiled a strangely proud smile that sent shivers down the back of my ears.  She confused me. One moment she was motherly and the next frightening. I followed her around the corner where we were out of sight of the quarters and in the corridor that led away from the elevators so anyone getting on or off the elevators - not that there would be anyone that time of night - wouldn''t see us.


    Shel''s image was projected through El''s volo.  It seemed there had been a call open between them this entire time though they had been together.  Everything was dark, but objects and people - like Shel - were barely visible tinted with a bluish gleam.  He stood in front of the bedroom door just far enough back that the door hadn''t opened yet. He hesitated. The ridge above El''s right eye lifted slightly as she watched the hesitation of her son, but she didn''t say anything.


    His hands unclenched and relaxed, his posture became a little straighter.  He stepped inside the bedroom. His walk was easy - unlike how he had first entered the quarters.  He pulled the chair away from the desk, turned it towards the bed and sat in it relaxed as if it was his bedroom and not a stranger''s.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    There was a young human woman sleeping in the bed.  I recognized her right away. She was the youngest pilot onboard the G.E.V. Armstar.  She was our age.  She had graduated early through the accelerated program.


    Shel made a quiet chirping sound that I had occasionally heard other Bundu-Jo make.  Sergeant Demir opened her eyes. She didn''t seem startled. She hadn''t noticed Shel yet.  She closed her eyes and rolled onto her side. She now faced Shel, but she had her eyes closed so she hadn''t noticed him.


    "You''re just going to ignore me then," Shel said smoothly.


    She sat up startled and pulled the blanket up to her neck.


    "Shel?" she said when she finally saw him.


    He smiled.  He might have been attractive if he had fur.  I personally preferred cinnamon colored fur.


    "What are you doing here?"  She looked around the room. I wasn''t sure what she was looking for.


    He drew her eyes back to him as he leaned forward in the chair - leaned closer to her.  Her breath quickened and her hands held tighter onto her blanket. I didn''t find Shel attractive, but it was obvious that the sergeant did.


    "Are you not happy to see me," he said in a low, dangerous voice.  Not dangerous in a threatening way, dangerous in a way that even though he didn''t have fur, was ugly and like my brother, his voice made my heart beat slightly faster.  If only that voice could have been placed with a Starwatcher with large, floppy ears and cinnamon colored fur. "I thought I had noticed you watching me. Was I wrong? Should I leave?"


    Sergeant Demir swallowed.  "I''m just surprised. Not even in my wildest dreams would I imagine waking up in the middle of the night to find you in my room."


    "Really?  Not even in your wildest dreams?"


    She swallowed again and looked down at her blanket.


    Shel stood up slowly and took her hand.  "Let''s go," he said.


    "Go where?"  She dropped the blanket and stood.


    "I heard you developed an anxiety for flying.  Maybe I can help you. Let''s go look at your shuttle."


    Panic washed over her face and she shook her head.  She tried to pull her hand away from his, but he wouldn''t let her.


    "It''s all right," Shel said gently.  "We won''t actually be flying. I just want to look at your shuttle.  With you. When no one else is around."


    "I need to change clothes," she said.  She wore a t-shirt and shorts. I couldn''t tell what color in the darkness.


    "You''re fine," he said.  "Let''s go." He pulled her out into the living quarters and then out into the corridor.  She didn''t realize she forgot to put shoes on. She was barefoot as she walked to the elevators with him.


    "Should we follow him?" I asked El.


    "Soon," she said.  "Let''s see how well he does without us.  He''s doing well so far."


    Very well.  I hadn''t realized how good of an actor he was.


    Shel and Sergeant Demir emerged from the elevator and walked through the corridors to the shuttle bay.  There were two security guards on duty. They took one look at Shel and Sergeant Demir hand in hand.


    "Sergeant," one of the security said, "it''s a little early for you isn''t it?"


    She blushed.  "I just want to show him the shuttles."


    The security let them through.  Shel let go of Sergeant Demir''s hand and she entered first.  Fast - so fast even I almost missed it - both of Shel''s arms shot out towards the security officers.  He stuck something in each of their necks and in the next moment placed an arm around Sergeant Demir''s shoulder and guided her forward.  She was too distracted to see the two security officers fall to the ground behind her.


    "What did he do?" I asked El.


    "Bundubrenen," she said.


    It was a sedative that caused memory loss of the time shortly before and after the subjects are sedated.  Hospitals and doctors rarely used it. It was more likely that spies used it, but how did El smuggle it onboard.  Then again, her husband was the captain. Had their belongings been as closely scanned as the rest of us? Maybe it was something she always carried being a former Jo-Dinun.


    Sergeant Demir led Shel to a shuttle that was far away from the Aether field.


    "Here it is," she patted the side of the shuttle affectionately.


    "Don''t you miss flying?" Shel walked away from the shuttle - further in amidst the shuttles.  "Isn''t that why you joined the accelerated program in the first place?"


    "Yes," she followed him.


    "What made you stop flying?"


    We all knew it was the miasmids.  They couldn''t pass through the Aether field without dying.  Sergeant Demir didn''t know Shel had that information though.


    Shel continued on his path, interweaving in and out of the shuttles.


    "I don''t know," she said.  "Maybe just being in the vastness of space.  So far away from home."


    She stopped.  He took a few more steps before he turned around to face her.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked.  "Why did you stop?"


    "I think I have a fear of space."  The Aether field wasn''t too far from them now.  The darkness of space with its glittering stars that streaked as we jumped through F.T.L. showed beyond the crackling Aether field.


    He leaned against a shuttle and made no effort to lure her forward any further.  Her body relaxed slightly.


    "That''s understandable," Shel said.  He held a hand out towards her. She blushed and took the few steps between them to take his hand.


    "Honestly," she said, "I didn''t know you had an interest in me.  You''re always around that Starwatcher girl. I thought you liked her."


    Girl?  We were the same age.  My hands curled up into fists at my sides.


    "Minmin?" Shel said.  He laughed. "She''s like a sister.  And I''ve never heard of a Bundu-Jo/Starwatcher pairing."


    "No," Sergeant Demir agreed.  "You don''t usually hear of Starwatchers or K''thaktras pairing with other aliens.  Bundu-Jo''s and humans on the other hand . . ."


    He smiled in answer.


    "Why do you wear those ear studs?  I''ve never seen a Bundu-Jo wear them before - besides your mother."


    For the briefest of moments, his acting faltered.  His jaw clenched tight. His body stiffened. He recovered well though.  "My mom and dad are fighting. I''m not sure over what, but I think she''s doing it to be rebellious."


    "She''s a little old to be rebellious," Sergeant Demir said.  "Why don''t you take them out? I''d like a closer look." Those ear studs were the only thing able to keep the miasmids out.  It seemed like the miasmids wanted her to trick him to take out the ear studs.


    Shel let go of her hand and stepped closer to the Aether field.  There weren''t anymore shuttles now. Just the space between the shuttles and the Aether field.  "I don''t know. I want to support my mom. She''s going through a tough time right now."


    Sergeant Demir didn''t follow.  She frowned and waved for him to come back, but instead, he went even closer to the Aether field.


    "It''s to help you with your fear," he said.  "Just come a little closer."


    She shook her head.


    Shel reached up to his ear and took out the top stud.


    "No," El said beside me.  For the first time she seemed genuinely concerned for her son.  She rushed towards the elevators. I quickly followed. Shel knew the ear studs kept the miasmids out.  I was sure he had some sort of plan, but what if something went wrong. What if the miasmids managed to get inside him?  Then we just needed to get them out before they bonded with him. It had worked with Vai. We got on the elevator and it headed down.  His image was always projected through her volo.


    Sergeant Demir took a slow step towards him and then another before she stopped.  "In good faith," she said, "take out another one."


    Shel reached up and took out the next top one.  Sergeant Demir quickly closed the distance between them.


    "Take out the rest," she said eagerly.


    Shel grabbed her and threw her out the Aether field.  Pink smoke started to come from her ears, but it was too late.  They passed the Aether field along with Sergeant Demir. The pink smoke fizzled into nothingness.


    Shel turned his back on Sergeant Demir''s floating body and made his way back through the shuttles.  The ship jumped again through F.T.L. and Sergeant Demir''s body was gone.


    The elevator door opened.  El and I met Shel just outside the docking bay.  The two security officers were still sedated. The two ear studs had been put back in his ear.


    El smiled.  She grabbed him in a hug.  "You did well, son," she said.  "I knew training you myself instead of sending you to the accelerated program was the right thing to do."


    Shel gave me a look over his mother''s shoulder as he returned her hug.  The knowledge passed between us that no matter what - no matter who was infected by the miasmids - we would kill them.  We wouldn''t hesitate. We would be the secret warriors the rest of the Gathering didn''t even know they needed.

 Interlude 5 .

    Thrissko


    The last Brist still screamed and writhed at my feet.  The sound of it reverberated off the walls of the bay. To anyone who hadn''t gone through it themselves, it would have sounded horrific like he was going through the worst terrors every imagined as he died.  But we had all gone through it and he wasn''t dying. He was going to know life now as wasn''t possible before. It was a beautiful thing.


    The Brist was stubborn, but the miasmids would have control of him soon.  We had stopped on Brist and offered work to any Brist who wanted adventure and advance payment.  More than a hundred had boarded our ships - innocent, naive creatures.


    Sally sat next to the screaming Brist.  The miasmids had allowed her to cut herself when we were onboard the ship.  She did so now. A knife cut the skin on her forearm. A thin, red line of blood oozed out of her flesh.  She smiled.


    "I think you''re genuinely crazy, little human girl," I said.  I sat next to her and the Brist.


    She placed the palm of her hand over the barbs on my hand.  Her fresh blood ran down the back of my hand. My orange coloring was becoming slightly more and more red the more she did this.  It didn''t matter how often I washed my hands.


    The Brist''s yells grew quieter.  Papa walked up to us and sat down next to Sally.  He patted the top of her head, but he watched me.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "We''ve learned that the Armstar and Fallfrost usually take the back line of the G.E.F.''s formation.  Unfortunately for you, the Shadow is usually at the forefront.  You won''t get your revenge quite yet."


    My teeth mashed together.  My fists clenched. I had dreamed every night of tearing Vai''s flesh, of breaking his bones, of ramming my fist through his heart.  Pain washed through me at the last thought. The miasmids didn''t want him killed.


    Fine.  I sent my thoughts to them.  Not kill him.  Just hurt him. Really, really badly.


    Pleasure tingled through me and I smiled.


    "How long must I wait?"


    "I don''t know.  The captains of the Armstar and Fallfrost are already connected with the miasmids.  Their stellar navigators are also with the miasmids.  We will come up from under them and attack them. Before the other ships can turn to help, the captains and navigators will have the Armstar and Fallfrost fall back with us.  Once we are safely away and the captains have the Aether fields dismantled, we will board.  You will personally lead a troop. You need to infect as many as you can with the miasmids. Those that refuse or are too difficult, kill them."


    The pleasure increased at the thought of building the miasmid''s army.  "Understood," I said.


    Papa didn''t specify that Sally would be in my troop, but since she never left my side, I assumed she would be.  I had no idea why she had decided to cling to me in the first place.


    "The miasmids say there is an ancient enemy nearby.  In the past, they''ve taken care of them themselves, but since we are already nearby, we will go kill it.  Then we will go after the rest of the G.E.F. with our old and new ships and you will be able to have your revenge."


    The Brist stopped screaming completely.  A strange smile formed on his lips. He was one of us now.


    "He''ll be in your troop," Papa said as he pointed to the smiling Brist.

 Chapter 10 .

    Owen


    Esther sat on the edge of my bed.  Her brown hair was tied back, but wavy strands had fallen loose around her cheeks.  She tucked a strand behind her ear. In her lap was the ancient wall she had stolen.


    "Decipher anymore of it?" I asked.  I went and sat next to her on the bed.


    She held it between us so I could see it better.  "Maybe a fresh pair of eyes would help," she said.


    I looked, but it only looked like circles with various lines in them.


    "This," she pointed to one of the circles, "means light and this," she pointed to a different circle near the bottom, "means the Corruption.  I think this one," she gently tapped the first symbol, "means the Awakened Ones. I think this one means war, but I might be forcing it too much.  I want it to say war because if it does, then I think this one means death, but if it doesn''t mean war, then I''m off on a lot of my other guesses."


    I made a pretense like I was studying the broken wall.  "What if it means barter?"


    The corner of her lips turned down.  I was only teasing, but she said, "What if it does?  What if the Awakened Ones were trying to barter with the Corruption and it went wrong?"


    "Or what if," I said, "the Corruption were the ones trying to barter and the Awakened Ones made it go wrong and that was how all of this started in the first place?"


    "No," she said, but she bit her bottom lip and I was sure she thought of the possibility.


    "Can''t you ask that Awakened One you are trying to find?  You have some kind of connection with him don''t you?"


    She sighed.  "He''s sleeping.  He hasn''t responded to me since he suggested I open the light in others."


    "Are you sure he is sleeping?  You said the Corruption killed the Awakened One who originally taught you.  They haven''t found and killed this other one have they?"


    "No," She looked up to the gray ceiling.  "I can still feel his presence. I don''t think I could ask him directly what these symbols mean anyway."  She turned her attention back to the broken piece of wall. "We''ve never been able to communicate with words, just impressions.  You should login to the ansible. School will start soon."


    There was something in the way she spoke that made me think she wanted to join me in school.  She was a stowaway though and wanted by security. She couldn''t just randomly show up to school.


    I nodded and put my head back on the pillow.  I reshaped the okulus to fit over my head and logged in to the ansible.


    I was early to school, but I was still the last one to arrive with the exception of Teacher Miller.  Vai, Minmin and Shel had blocked their conversation from the rest of the class, but they included me when I sat at my desk.


    "We were just talking about Vai''s experience with the Corruption last night," Minmin said.  "It seems like those with the Corruption on your ship are guarding themselves better. It makes sense after all the disappearances.  You both - and Esther - need to be more cautious from now on."


    I nodded.  I thought that went without saying, but apparently Minmin thought otherwise.


    "Shel killed someone last night - or rather very early this morning - with the Corruption too," Minmin said.


    "But," I said.  I looked from Minmin to Shel, "you don''t have the light."


    "You don''t need the light to kill someone," Shel said.


    "Killing someone is different than also killing the Corruption.  You also don''t have the Aether Field Prototype," Vai said.  "How did you kill the Corruption?"


    "You don''t need the prototype either," Shel said.  "Any Aether field will do."


    "He threw her out the Aether field in the shuttle bay," Minmin said.


    It took a moment for that to process through me.  Shel had thrown a living person out the Aether field.  The field killed the Corruption, but it wouldn''t have killed the person.  Space killed that person. I had been in space all my life because of my mom''s job.  I knew space was dangerous, but I always felt safe in the G.E. vessels. For a moment, I imagined myself alone in space, the cold, the vacuum, the lack of air.  My real body shuttered, but it wasn''t translated through the ansible.


    "Who was it and how did you lure her close enough to the Aether field?" Vai asked.  "I thought the Corruption wouldn''t go anywhere near it."


    "She was a pilot our age who went through the accelerated program," Minmin said.  "She was known for her sudden fear of space. As for how he got her near the Aether field.  Well. I might have followed him too if he had used that sexy voice on me. Too bad I can''t just take it from him and put it on a Starwatcher with cinnamon colored fur."  She put her elbows on top of her desk and put her chin in her hands and sighed as she stared ahead at nothing.


    Teacher Miller appeared and began class.  We ignored her and kept our conversation going as we continued to block out the rest of the class.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Sexy?" Shel asked.


    "Only the voice," Minmin said with that same far away look.


    "My friend," I said, "is there a specific Starwatcher you have in mind to put Shel''s voice with?"  There wasn''t a male Starwatcher in class with cinnamon colored fur, but it seemed like she was speaking of someone specific.


    She turned to me and smiled.  "Do you know the actor Bars? From the horror show Waters Reaching?"


    "I haven''t watched too many Starwatcher shows," I said.  It was a lie though. I hadn''t ever watched a Starwatcher show.  Or a K''thaktran show.


    "You''re missing out," Minmin said.  "It''s really good."


    "And he must have cinnamon colored fur," Vai said.


    Minmin nodded and her floppy ears swayed from side to side.


    "We''re in the middle of class," Teacher Miller''s voice broke through our blocker.  She could speak to us, but she wouldn''t be able to hear our conversation.


    We ignored her.  Class just didn''t seem important anymore.


    "Was his sexy voice different than usual?" I asked.  "Because his voice doesn''t normally sound sexy to me."


    "Yes," Minmin said.  "It was different than usual.  His mother must have taught him."


    "That makes it sound weird," Shel said to her.  To me and Vai he said, "My mom thought it better to train me herself in the ways of the Jo-Dinun rather than send me to the accelerated program."


    "I really must insist that you drop your blocker and pay attention in class," Teacher Miller said to us.  "If you are going to talk all through class, don''t bother showing up at all. It isn''t fair to the other students."


    Shel and Minmin faced the front of the class and Minmin dropped the blocker.  I wasn''t sure who had put it up in the first place until then.


    "And you chastised me for the blocker when I first put it up," I whispered to her.  She frowned at me, but it didn''t last long.


    There was only an hour left in class when I heard them enter my bedroom.


    "Not again," my dad''s voice said.  "He hasn''t done anything. He has complied with everything you told him to do since the smuggling incident."


    "This isn''t about smuggling," someone said.


    I was forcibly logged out of the ansible.  I thought about quickly going back in to tell Vai and the others that security was at my place again, but decided against it.  It left me with a headache last time to be forcibly removed from the ansible multiple times.


    My okulus was removed from my head by one of the four security that stood around my bed.  The two on my left were both Starwatchers. The two on my right were Bundu-Jo. It was the male Bundu-Jo that had taken off my okulus.


    Esther.


    I looked at the bathroom.  Two security went inside. One a K''thaktran female, the other a human male.


    Please don''t be in there.  I sent the thought to Esther.  I didn''t have a connection with her like she had with the Awakened One.  There was no way for me to warn her.


    Lie.  You''re a good liar.  I calmed the rapid beat of my heart.  I willed my limbs to relax. The officer handed my okulus back to me.  I reshaped it around my wrist.


    "I haven''t smuggled anything else on board, officers," I said.  "You can check." I waved toward my desk. "I''ve been following all the rules given to me.  I haven''t even made one piece of algae chocolate."


    The two officers came out of the bathroom empty handed.  No Esther being dragged or fighting between them.


    The Bundu-Jo who took off my okulus waved a hand at the others and they began to rummage through my things.  "Have you been in contact with the owner of the Starrise recently?" The officer left standing by my bed asked.


    "No," I said easily.  "I don''t have any reason to now that you confiscated my chocolate."


    My dad stood nearby, but didn''t interfere with the security officers.  He held his viola and bow in one hand by his side.


    "When was the last time you saw her?"


    "Not for awhile and I haven''t met with her personally since the Remembrance.  Is she really missing?  You don''t think I had anything to do with it do you?  Check the security feeds. I haven''t done anything."


    "Then why haven''t you been by to see how your schoolmate is doing?  You''re on the same ship, you know his mother has disappeared."


    "Wait a minute," my dad finally stepped forward.  "Is this really what this is about? The missing people?  Owen has smuggled before, I admit that, but he has never hurt anyone.  He couldn''t even think of hurting someone."


    "Spencer and I aren''t on good terms.  Not since the Remembrance," I said interrupting my dad.  I wasn''t sure if his words were helping.  And it wasn''t true. I could think of hurting someone.  I had played a big part in Adi''s death. "I didn''t think it would be appropriate to go see him since he hates me."  And I killed his mom.


    "Did you know Officer Hansi?"


    "No," I said.  "I don''t think he was any of the officers I dealt with.  Wait. Is he the one my friend, Vai, gave his statement to?  I never met him personally."


    "What about Mechanic Turner Wilson?"


    "I''ve never seen him.  I think anyway. I guess it''s possible I saw him in the shuttle bay, but I rarely go there and I wouldn''t know him by name.  Sorry. I hardly pay attention to the mechanics."


    "What about Alessandra Garcia?"


    "That name is familiar," I paused as if thinking.  "Is she the scientist that works in the labs with Vai Ma''amaloa''s dad?  I''ve never seen her before. Vai has spoken about all the scientists in his father''s labs.  He likes them. Is she missing too? I haven''t heard an announcement about her."


    "Have you seen anything or anyone suspicious?"  I noted he ignored my comment about Alessandra missing and the lack of an announcement.


    "Besides the mystery girl Vai and I already told you about?  No." We had already mentioned her to security. It would be weird if I didn''t mention her now.  Where was Esther?


    "Do you know how much contact your friend, Vai Ma''amaloa, has had with any of these people?"


    I scoffed.  "You don''t suspect the son of the chief science officer do you?  That won''t go over well with Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa. And I can vouch for Vai.  We''re together almost all the time." As an afterthought - because there would be witnesses at the Museum Delectables - I added, "Alessandra...I think Vai went on a date with her last night.  I don''t know the details. I was going to talk to him today after class, but you pulled me out before class was over."


    "Vai isn''t a suspect," the security officer said.  "Maybe he saw something that will give us a clue though."


    I hadn''t seen any glint of pink in the security officers eyes so I didn''t think he had the Corruption inside him.


    "Nothing here," one of the security officers said as they finished rummaging through my room.  They never bothered to put back what that they took out. There were clothes and various items strewn along the floor.  It looked like my afternoon would be tidying up after security officers.


    "If you think of anything or see anything suspicious, let us know."


    I nodded and the security officers left.  My dad paused by my bed. He looked at me seriously for a moment - he only looked at me like that when I broke the law.  Then he shook his head and smiled. "No. Smuggling is one thing, but you wouldn''t have anything to do with the disappearances."  He took two steps towards the bedroom door before he turned back to me with the serious face. "Unless you were smuggling people."


    Was that really what my dad thought of me?


    "How would I smuggle them and where would I smuggle them to?  Don''t be ridiculous, dad."


    He smiled and laughed as if it had all been a joke and he hadn''t seriously thought for a moment I could smuggle people.  I didn''t smuggle people. Just killed them.

 Chapter 11 .

    Vai


    My okulus beeped with an incoming message from Owen addressed to both me and Esther.


    ?Security was just here asking about the missing people.  Vai, I told them you had a date with Alessandra because there would be witnesses at the Museum Delectables.  Esther, I don''t know where you are, but if you went to Vai''s quarters, get out. Security might go there next.


    "And to finish today''s class," Teacher Miller said, "I need to regretfully inform you that the field trip has been cancelled."


    Some of the students groaned.  Shel and Minmin were silent as they watched me closely.


    "And I have another announcement.  Some of you will know this already."  Teacher Miller looked to Spencer''s empty seat.  "There have been disappearances onboard both the Shadow and now on the Armstar.  Security on all ships would like you to be on watch for anything unusual and report to them right away if you suspect anything."


    She ended class and left.  Shel and Minmin turned to me.


    "Did you get a message from Owen?" Minmin asked.  "What happened to him?"


    I put the blocker around us so none of the other students would hear.  I wasn''t sure it was really a big deal, but I didn''t want anyone to get the wrong idea about Owen.  Especially after the smuggling incident. Actually, it would be the right idea, but the wrong interpretation.  I didn''t want anyone to think he was the bad guy when in actuality we were saving the Gathering from an invasive alien species.


    "He says Security just asked him about the missing people.  He thinks they''ll come to me next. Especially since he told them I had a date with Alessandra.  I guess we couldn''t really avoid that one. There were witnesses at the Museum Delectables that saw us together."


    "What about Esther?" Shel asked.  "Isn''t she normally in Owen''s quarters?  Did security catch her?"


    "I don''t know the details, but I don''t think she was there.  Owen sent a message to her too telling her if she was at my place to leave.  She''s clever. More clever than me and Owen. I''m sure she''ll be fine."


    "If Security is going to your quarters, you''d better sign out and be ready for them," Minmin said.


    I nodded and logged out.  I took the okulus off my head and reshaped it to my wrist.  Warpaint waited by my bed with an algae bar.


    "Security is on their way, sir," Warpaint said.  "They asked your father permission to speak with you, but he won''t allow it without his presence.  He is on his way too."


    "Thank you, Warpaint."  I took the algae bar and bit into it.


    "This would be a good opportunity to tell security and your father about Esther and Owen and the Corruption, sir," Warpaint said.


    I got off the bed.  "No. Remember Officer Hansi had the Corruption inside him.  What if these ones do to? And if my father knows, he will try to stop me from destroying the Corruption in an effort to protect me."


    "You should be protected," Warpaint said.  "Especially after my failure last night."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "It wasn''t a failure, Warpaint.  It was a learning experience. And if anything that should prove that I need to be able to take care of myself against the Corruption and my father will try to stop my personal training."


    Warpaint didn''t argue with me further.


    "If security or my father asks you about last night, only talk about the actual date, not about what came before and after.  Understood?"


    "Understood, sir."


    We went into the living quarters.  I took another bite of the algae bar.  I heard my father''s voice from the corridor.


    "Six of you to interview my son?  I don''t think so. Unless you have a warrant, which you wouldn''t, you can''t come in."


    "Don''t worry, Lieutenant Commander," a male voice said.  "Your son isn''t under any suspicion. By accounts, he was the last one seen with Alessandra Garcia.  We just want to ask to see if he noticed anything strange."


    "I''ll allow you in," my father said, "and you can ask him.  The rest of you should go back to the security office. It doesn''t take six of you to ask questions."


    "That is agreeable, Lieutenant Commander," the male voice said.


    There was a pause and a great deal  of shuffling beyond the door before my father opened it and stepped inside followed by a male Bundu-Jo.


    "Vai," my father said.  "Finished with school already?"


    "Just barely," I said.  I finished the last bite of the algae bar.  "What''s going on?"


    "You know the disappearances on the ship?"  My father asked. I nodded. "Alessandra Garcia didn''t show up to the labs today."


    "What?  But I just saw her last night."


    My father raised a dark eyebrow at this.  "Did you? Why? Why didn''t you tell me about it?"  He addressed the questions to me, but when he finished he glanced at Warpaint.


    "I asked her to dinner," I said.


    "A date?  She''s much too old for you," my father said.


    "She''s only 4 years older than me," I said.  "And it wasn''t a date. I''m underage. It was a precursor date until I turn 18."


    "Semantics," my father said.  "It was a date and I''m very disappointed she agreed."


    "I thought you''d be happy I was interested in a scientist," I said.


    The male Bundu-Jo looked from me to my father and back again obviously not quite sure how to interject himself into the conversation.


    "I . . ."  That stumped my father because normally he would have been glad I was interested in a scientist instead of a girl like Callie.  The problem was he knew about the Corruption and knew that Alessandra had been infected by them. He couldn''t tell me or the security officer that.


    "They were never alone together," Warpaint said.  "They met at the Museum Delectables and left when the date ended.  I was always by his side. As were...other people."


    "I can confirm that is what the witnesses at the Museum Delectables told me."  The male Bundu-Jo finally found a place to speak. My father glowered at him. The security officer swallowed under my father''s glare, but continued to speak.  "Vai did meet Alessandra at the restaurant. He was there and already seated when she arrived according to witnesses. They left at the same time, but that was were witness accounts end."  He turned to me. "Can you tell me what happened when you left?"


    "We parted ways," I said.  "She wanted to take a walk behind the Museum Delectables, but I am only 17 so I left her and came back home."


    "Have you checked the security feeds?" my father asked.  "There should be something there."


    The security officer paused a moment until he saw my father''s eyes.  "Strangely, Vai doesn''t show up on the security feeds at all."


    My father frowned.


    "It is the same as when that unknown girl doesn''t show up on the camera," the security officer said.  "We think she somehow distorted Vai and his mechatronic and met with Alessandra behind the Museum Delectables.  We don''t know how or why she distorted Vai and the mechatronic."


    "Thank you, officer.  That will be all," my father said.


    The officer looked from my father to me and back again.  I didn''t think he had asked all the questions he had wanted. My father had led the conversation.  But the officer also didn''t want to argue with my father who had already dismissed him so he left quietly.


    "Warpaint, have you been tampered with and not informed me?" my father asked.


    "No, sir."


    "How could he have been when he is with me 24/7," I said.


    My father looked at me and then dismissed me as easily as he had the security officer.  "Warpaint, let''s go into my room and I''ll take a look at you to see what has been tampered with."


    "Yes, sir."


    My father''s okulus beeped with an incoming call.  He frowned and answered as voice only.


    I didn''t recognize the voice but it said, "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa.  Your presence is requested on the bridge."


    "Understood."  My father disconnected the call.  He looked at Warpaint, looked at me and then left.

 Chapter 12 .

    Shel


    I woke when I heard the familiar chirp.  I knew before I even opened my eyes that it was my dad and that the chirp meant danger.  He stood near my bed - looking down at me. I didn''t see any trace of the pink gleam in his eyes.


    "Get up," he said.  "Get your mother."


    I touched my ear to make sure all my ear studs were still there.  He noticed.  It was clear then that he was aware I knew what he was and what my ear studs were.


    "What''s going on?" I asked.


    "Please," he said, "trust me this once.  I''m trying to . . ." His face scrunched up in pain.  He took in a deep breath, let it out slowly and became expressionless once again.  "Trust me." There was something in his voice - something from before - from years ago before he had been infected by the Corruption.


    I sat up and swung my legs off the bed.  My dad took a step back.


    "Hurry," he said.  "Get your mother.  She won''t believe me.  There isn''t any time."


    I put on my shoes.  "Where are we going?  Should I bring anything?"  Maybe he had found a way to fight off the Corruption inside him.  Maybe he had figured out the impossible.


    The ship shook.


    I froze and looked to my dad for an answer.  I had been on the Gathering vessels most of my life and that had never happened before.


    He grabbed my shoulder and pushed me towards the bedroom door.


    "No time.  Hurry."


    We stepped out into the living room quarters the same time my mom came out of her bedroom.  She stopped when she saw my dad.  Her jaw tightened.


    "What is going on?" she asked.  She quickly closed the space between us, grabbed my wrist and pulled me behind her - away from my dad.


    The ship shook a second time.  This time I thought I also heard a faint explosion from somewhere outside the ship.


    "Is the ship under attack?" she asked.  "What have you done?"


    My father shook his head and reached out for her hand.  She took a step back forcing me to take a step back as well.


    Pain closed over his face.  Pink glinted from his blue eyes.  "I''m trying to save you," he said.  "Please, come now while I can still withstand the pain."


    Her hand slowly reached out toward him.  His hand rushed to grab hers.  He pulled her out of the quarters and she pulled me with them.  People crowded into the corridors and shouted out to him asking what was going on, but he ignored all of them.  There was a line in front of the elevators, but they parted for him.  He pulled us on an empty one and took us to the shuttle bay.


    No one tried to stop him.  He took us to the nearest shuttle where a pilot stood.  Everyone in the shuttle bay ducked as there was another explosion outside the ship.  This time not only was there shaking, but some of the shelves along the wall filled with mechanical tools came loose from their bolts and toppled forward.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Get them to the Shadow," my dad commanded the pilot.  "Only the Shadow.  No other ship.  Do you understand?"


    The human pilot nodded.  "Captain, what if whatever is attacking us decides to attack the shuttles?  These are only transportation vessels.  There aren''t any weapons."


    "They won''t attack the shuttles."  My dad sounded confident.  It made me wonder what he knew and from my mom''s expression, she wondered the same.


    "Will the captain and first officer report to the bridge immediately."  The second officer''s voice came on over the ship''s intercom.


    Minmin and her mother - the first officer - came sprinting towards our shuttle.  Minmin''s mother pushed her towards us.  "Take her."  To Minmin she said, "Don''t worry.  When we get this taken care of, we''ll come back for you."


    Minmin shook her head and grabbed her mom''s arm.  "Come with me. Get dad and come with me.  Don''t leave me alone."


    The first officer patted Minmin''s head between her ears.  "Don''t worry. I don''t know who is foolish enough to attack a Gathering Vessel, but they won''t win the day.  I''ll come find you when we are finished."


    The ship shook again.  The floor rolled beneath our feet a moment before it stilled.  Other families were coming now and heading to various shuttles.  Pilots and mechanics stood by ready.


    Minmin looked at my father.  The pink was still there behind his eyes.  His hands began to shake.  He turned away from all of us and balled his hands into fists by his side.


    "Let''s go," the first officer said to the captain.  She turned away from us confident that they could beat whatever was out there.  Confident that she would see her daughter again.


    But my dad turned back to us - the pink always in his eyes - the pain always inside him.  "I love you," he said to both my mom and me.  "Whatever has happened.  I love you." He briefly touched his forehead to both of ours before he pushed us both towards the shuttle door.  To the pilot he said, "Go now before I can rescind the order.  Now!"


    The pilot ushered the three of us in.  Minmin went to the nearest window and looked out at her mother''s retreating back.  I looked out over Minmin''s head to see my dad fall to his knees in pain.  The pilot closed the door.  The first officer rushed back to the captain and helped him to his feet.  Together they exited the shuttle bay just as our shuttle lifted up and away from them.


    The first officer''s goodbye to her daughter had only been a temporary one.  My dad''s goodbye had been permanent.  He thought he would never see us again.


    The shuttle passed through the Aether Field.  There were only four ships in the vicinity. The G.E.V.s Armstar and Fallfrost.  The other Gathering exploration vessels had already jumped ahead.  The two attacking vessels had used that exact moment to attack - the moment right before the Armstar and Fallfrost made the next jump through F.T.L.  I thought the attacking vessels would be alien, but they looked like Gathering merchant ships.  They had been retrofitted with weapons.


    "The miasmids are making their move," my mom said beside me.


    "Are you sure?" Minmin asked.


    My mom nodded.  "Why else would Gathering merchant vessels attack Gathering exploration vessels?  And look they''ve already stopped fighting.  The Armstar and Fallfrost didn''t fire back as far as I can tell."


    She was correct.  All four vessels had come to a stop.  The escaping shuttles gathered in one place.


    "We need to wait for the other vessels to jump back," the pilot called back to us.  "The shuttles can''t make the F.T.L. jump.  They are on there way back though.  They should be here any minute."


    The four Gathering ships jumped away at the same time.


    "What the hell?" the pilot said.


    Why else would the ships jump away together without putting up a fight?  My mom was right.  It was the Corruption.  My father had saved us - had disobeyed the Corruption because he knew ahead of time what they had planned.


    "Then I''ll never see my parents again," Minmin said quietly.  "Or if I do, the Corruption will be inside them."


    My mom put her arm behind me to pat the top of Minmin''s head.  I took Minmin''s small hand in mine.  She didn''t cry, but her hand shook.  She rested her head on my arm.


    The rest of the G.E.F. jumped back, but it was too late.  The Corruption got what they wanted.  They won their first offensive strike.

 Chapter 13 .

    Vai


    "All crew to their stations."


    I woke with a start.  I threw off the covers and slid my feet to the smooth floor.  Warpaint was instantly by my side.


    The announcement continued.  "All civilians stay in your quarters.  Be prepared to move to the shuttles if commanded."


    I stepped out into the living quarters just as my father stepped out of his bedroom fully clothed in his uniform.  Didn''t he ever sleep?  Did he sleep in his uniform?


    He closed the distance between us quickly and placed an old, wrinkled hand on my shoulder.  "I need to go to the bridge. Wake your friend and go to the shuttle bay."


    "The announcement said to stay put," I said.


    My father frowned at me.  His dark brown eyes glowered.  "Just obey without arguing back for once," he said.


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.


    "Call your friend and go to the shuttle bay.  The Armstar and the Fallfrost were just attacked."


    "What?"  Minmin and Shel.  "Who would attack a Gathering vessel?"


    "I don''t know," my father said, but his eyes quickly shifted away.  I almost said the Corruption giving away what I knew.  I caught myself as my mouth opened.


    "There should hopefully be shuttles - survivors from the Armstar and the Fallfrost - that might come to our shuttle bay.  I''m sending you there because I know you have friends on the Armstar."


    I nodded.  My heart began to beat faster as it began to sink in that Minmin and Shel were in real danger.  My hands clenched into fists by my side.


    "I don''t think this attack is a danger to the rest of the ships since they waited to attack until the rest of the ships jumped away, but just in case it is a bigger threat than I''m thinking - you will already be in the shuttle bay if there is a call to evacuate.  And," he turned to Warpaint, "your Aether Shield should be enough to protect the shuttle if needs be."


    "Yes, sir," Warpaint said.


    My father turned to me and waited.


    "Yes, sir," I said.


    He nodded and went to the door.  "Call your friend and go to the shuttle bay now," my father said and then he was gone.


    I called Owen.  He answered right away.  He was still in his pajamas too in his bedroom, but no longer in bed.  I slipped on my shoes.


    "What''s going on, Vai?"


    "The Armstar and Fallfrost were attacked."


    "But Minmin and Shel."


    "That''s why we''re going to the shuttle bay in case survivors - Minmin and Shel specifically - come to the Shadow."


    "We were just ordered to stay in our quarters."  Owen was already putting on his shoes though.


    "My father ordered both of us to the shuttle bay so in my book, that supersedes any other orders."  I stepped out into the corridor.  Warpaint led the way to the elevators.


    "Owen," Owen''s father said.  He was far enough away from Owen that he wasn''t projected through my volo.  I only heard his voice.  "Didn''t you hear the orders?  We must stay in our quarters."


    "Where''s mom?" Owen asked.


    "She just left to go to her station."


    I paused.  Warpaint and I were close enough we could see the elevators, but far enough away to not be noticed by others if they weren''t looking back.  Owen''s mother arrived at the elevators and got on with a host of other people.


    "Vai just called me," Owen said.  He didn''t say we were still connected.  Maybe he had cut my projection so his father couldn''t see it.  "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa told him to bring me to the shuttle bay in case our friends from the Armstar arrive."


    "Why would they arrive?"  Owen''s father stepped closer to Owen and his image was now projected as well.


    "Vai said the Armstar and Fallfrost were attacked."


    "What?  Who would be stupid enough to attack a Gathering vessel?"


    Owen didn''t reply.  His hands tightened by his side.


    "Okay," Owen''s dad said.  "Get going then.  Keep me updated though."


    "Will do."


    The crowd at the elevators dispersed to wherever they were going so by the time Owen got there it was only me, him and Warpaint.  We went down to the shuttle bay.  Two security officers were posted at the doors.


    "Where are you going?" the Bundu-Jo asked.  "The announcement said to stay in your quarters."


    "My father, Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa, told us to come here to be ready for escape if the Shadow was attacked."  I left out my friends because I didn''t feel like giving a long explanation.  And I wasn''t lying.  My dad had said those words.  Actually, my friends might have just been an excuse to get me down here.  His real objective was probably to have me ready for escape.


    The Bundu-Jo looked at the human security officer.  The human sighed in an annoyed way with his lips pinched tight, but he waved us through.


    We stepped inside.  The ship jumped through F.T.L. and stopped.  A group of official looking people in Gathering uniforms entered.  A human woman was in charge of them. At least I assumed she was since she gave them orders and they separated into different groups around the shuttle bay.


    She arched a red eyebrow when she saw us.  She stood nearby but didn''t say anything. We were close enough we heard her conversation when a call came through.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "The Armstar, Fallfrost and attacking vessels have jumped away," a male voice said.  I didn''t recognize it.  "It seems the tracking systems on the Armstar and Fallfrost have been disabled or sabotaged.  We can''t track them.  We can''t open communications with them.  We will gather up the escaping shuttles between the remaining G.E.F. and find new quarters for them.  Assume all of them don''t have any of their things.  Not only will you and your staff need to provide them with new quarters, but with new necessities and clothing as well."


    "Understood," she said.


    "Also, take as many witness accounts as you can.  Like I said, we haven''t been able to open communications after the initial distress call."


    The woman ended the call and relayed the information to the others.


    The first shuttle entered the bay.  It landed nearby.  I rushed to it hoping it was Shel and Minmin.


    Hani and Nathan stepped out of the shuttle.  Adults and children followed them, but Hani and Nathan were the only ones I recognized from school.  Hani had tears streaking down her cheeks.  She rushed me and threw her arms around me.  I took a step back in surprise.  We weren''t close.


    Her body heaved as she cried and cried.  Her face was buried in my chest.  I looked to Owen for help, but he just shrugged his shoulders.


    "It''s so good to see familiar faces," Nathan said.  He wasn''t crying, but his hands wrung together in front of him.  I hadn''t ever seen him do that.  Of course, I had never seen Nathan in person before, only in school in the ansible.  We weren''t close to him either.  If the Shadow had been attacked and I was forced to escape on a shuttle and I ended up on Fallfrost, I''d be happy to see familiar faces too, even if we weren''t close.


    "I''m glad you''re all right, friends," Owen said easily.  He placed a hand on Nathan''s back.


    "It''s all right, Hani."  I patted her head.


    "It''s not all right," she wailed.  "I know Rebecca and Mingao didn''t get out."


    I stiffened.  The Corruption had them now.


    "What about Robert?" Owen asked.


    "I saw him get on a shuttle," Nathan said.  "I think he is all right."


    "Lineup," the woman said to those that just got of the shuttle.  "Don''t worry.  I''ll get you suitable quarters and anything else you might need - clothes, toys for the children."  She continued on, but I was distracted as I noticed that there were several smaller children including a younger girl who looked just like Hani.  She had slunk up behind Hani and held onto Hani''s pant leg.


    "I''m sorry," a woman said to me as she pulled on Hani''s arm.  She looked identical to Hani and the younger girl.  "Come on, Hani," she said and pulled a little tighter.


    "Don''t worry, Hani," I said.  More shuttles were coming in now.  Nathan left and stood by a man already in line.  "You can call on us anytime."  She nodded and let the woman pull her away.  The little girl still held onto Hani''s pant leg.


    "Owen!"  It was Minmin''s voice.  They stood in front of a shuttle not far away - Minmin, Shel and El.


    "Thank the stars," Owen sighed out.  He sprinted over to Minmin and hugged her.  The two were exactly at the heights to make hugging easy between them.


    I walked over, my long legs rapidly closing the distance.  I clasped Shel''s wrist in the Bundu-Jo way of greeting.  Minmin ran to me and hugged me around the waist.  She wasn''t crying like Hani had, but her tiny, furry body shook terribly.  I let go of Shel''s wrist and returned Minmin''s hug.  I couldn''t tell her it would be okay or that it would get better.  She knew about the Corruption just as I did.  And her mom was first officer.  She wasn''t going to be on a shuttle.  Her father was a communications officer.  He probably also wouldn''t be on a shuttle.  Did she just lose both her parents?  I squeezed her a little tighter.


    Owen clasped Shel''s wrist as I had just done.  El placed a hand on each of their shoulders - one hand high the other low.


    "We need to meet Esther," she said quietly.  "We need to see if she can open the light . . ."


    "Welcome to the Shadow.  I am Private Lessa."  A female Starwatcher with gray fur came up to our little group.  She had reshaped her okulus into a tablet.  "I''m sorry it''s not under better circumstances.  May I please get your names to enter into the records?"


    "El and Shel of the Edlrian clan," El said, "and Minmin daughter of Prissaha daughter of Liminma."


    Minmin released me from her trembling hug and took a step towards Shel and El.


    "Don''t worry," the Starwatcher said to her.  "We''ll get you situated in your new quarters soon.  It shouldn''t be long before you are reunited with your family."


    "Are you telling everyone this lie?" Minmin asked.  Her trembling finally stopped.


    Private Lessa scrunched up her triangle shaped pink nose in confusion.  "It''s not a lie, my fellow citizen."


    El placed a hand on Minmin''s shoulder just as Minmin opened her mouth to dispute Private Lessa''s words.  Minmin closed her pink mouth and pinched it tightly together.


    "I would like Minmin to be placed in my quarters," El said.  "She is still a minor and it wouldn''t be good for her to be on her own."


    I was pretty sure El thought Minmin could handle herself on her own - I certainly did - but it would be easier to talk about the Corruption and the Light if they were together.  And maybe with how badly Minmin had been trembling only moments before, it would be good for her to have a motherly figure nearby.


    Private Lessa''s vibrant green eyes scanned over Shel.  "There are only two rooms in the larger quarters."


    "It''s fine," El said with a commanding tone.


    "I''ll arrange it," Private Lessa said.  "Now, I assume you will need supplies, clothes and whatnot.  If you give me a list, I will try to have all the items to you in 24 hours."


    El nodded.


    "Great."  Private Lessa looked at her okulus.  "It looks like the quarters are ready.  If you''ll follow me, I will take you to them.  You will be on deck 7."


    "I thought that was a restricted level," Owen said.  The Starwatcher looked at both Owen and me for the first time.  It was easy to miss Owen with his size. It was harder to miss me.


    "And you are . . .?"


    "Owen Morgan."


    "Vai Ma''amaloa."


    Her mannerisms had been dismissive before I said my name.  She reacted to the name Ma''amaloa as most people on the Shadow did.  It was clearer and clearer how well known and respected my father was.


    "I see," she said.  She fidgeted with her okulus for a few moments before she said, "I''m not sure of a polite way to say this, so I''m just going to say it.  Why are you here and not in your quarters?"


    Owen looked up at me.


    "My father told me Shel and Minmin might arrive here," I said.  "We are friends from school.  He gave us permission to come meet them."


    "Oh, of course," she said.  "To answer your earlier question, levels 7 and 8 have been opened for anyone displaced from the Armstar and the Fallfrost.  Now, follow me.  We have lost communications, so I am supposed to get witness accounts.  Please tell me what you know as we walk to your new quarters."


    The five of us followed her through the bay and corridor to the elevators.  El was the only one who spoke.  There were a few things that stood out to me in her recounting.  The first was that the Armstar and Fallfrost didn''t fire back.  It had to be the Corruption.  Especially since they all jumped away together without putting up a fight.  The other thing that stood out to me was that Shel''s father withstood the pain long enough to disobey the miasmids and get his wife and son away from them.  I didn''t think there were too many people who could do that.


    "Here we are," Private Lessa said.  We stopped in front of a generic door in a generic hallway on level 7.  Sometimes I missed the variety of Mars.  "I gave you my contact information.  Be sure to send me that list.  And if you need anything else, don''t hesitate to ask.  I sent you the door password," she said specifically to El, "and gave you access so you can change it to whatever you''d like."


    "Thank you," El said.  She then immediately ignored the Starwatcher as she opened the door and indicated for all of us to file in.  She didn''t say goodbye to Private Lessa as the door shut in her face.


    "When things calm down a little out there," El said, "I''d like Esther to come and live here too.  It should be easier for her to hide out here then in either of your quarters."


    "True," Owen said.


    "I''ll be the only boy," Shel said.


    I couldn''t tell from the way he said it if he was complaining or not.


    "You could come stay with me, friend," Owen said.


    "Or me," I offered mainly because it seemed like the polite thing to do.


    "Maybe," El said.  "We''ll see how it goes.  I''d like him to stay here first so Esther can try to open the light in us and we can all train together.  Why don''t you two go home and rest," she said to me and Owen.  "And you two," she said to Minmin and Shel, "should try to rest too."


    "I''m not sure I can," Minmin said.


    "Try anyway."


    I noticed that El''s way of speaking usually came across as cold, but if I looked deeper into the meaning it was always from a place of caring.


    "We''ll go," I said, "but call us when you call Esther in.  I''d like to be here when she opens the light inside you."


    "Me too," Owen said.


    El''s blue lips turned up into a rare smile.  "I will."

 Chapter 14 .

    Vai


    "The way the Awakened One described it to me was not quite a light at the back of the head.  More like a shadow of a light," Esther said. El, Shel and Minmin sat on the gray couch. The glass table that had resided in front of the couch had been moved next to the wall.  Two black chairs were on either side of the plush couch.


    "So what do we do to bring out the light?" Owen asked.


    Esther turned from us to face the group on the couch.  "If it''s the same as humans, you just focus on it with your own light and pull on it.  It might resist a little. Actually, it kind of feels like pulling taffy, but with shadow and light.  And then the light bursts free and that''s it. I''m not sure if it will be the same with aliens though."


    "Are you sure we will even have the light?" Shel asked.  His mother''s blue eyes drifted to him. Her lips pinched tight.  I didn''t think she liked the question. Shel ignored her, which he usually didn''t do.  "Maybe it can only be brought out in humans."


    "No," Esther said.  "The Awakened One didn''t say humans had the light, he said the Gatherish had the light so I assume all 4 alien species in the Gathering accord have the light.  I guess, we just try it. If it doesn''t work the first time, we''ll try a different tactic."


    "I''ll do Shel," Owen said.  He stepped in front of Shel.  "Don''t worry, friend, I''ve got this."  I was beginning to recognize the difference between Owen''s sincerity, bravado, and B.S.ing.  This sounded like bravado. He was afraid he couldn''t do it.


    Shel remained seated on the couch.  Owen started to reach out to touch the back of Shel''s head.  Shel''s arm shot up and his fingers wrapped around Owen''s small wrist.  There was an intensity in Shel''s eyes as he stared into Owen''s. Owen didn''t look away.  His throat bobbed as he swallowed.


    "You can do this," Shel said in a low tone.  Even though I wasn''t the one he spoke to, his words held impact and I knew I could do it.  Owen must have felt the same. His stance changed slightly, more confident, shoulders back, head high.  He nodded. Shel let go of Owen''s wrist.


    Owen''s hand circled around to the back of Shel''s head.  His other hand was placed on Shel''s forehead.  Owen closed his eyes. Shel closed his eyes. It happened fast.  Much faster than I was expecting. I think it happened faster than when Esther opened the light in me and Owen.  One moment Shel was his normal blue self, the next moment a dark purple light sprang from him almost as if it had been ignited and fueled with oil.


    Owen''s and Shel''s eyes opened at the same time.  Owen took a step back from the sudden intensity of Shel''s light.  Shel looked at the dark purple light in his hands and smiled. "Thank you, friend," he said to Owen.


    I wasn''t sure if he called it out on purpose or not, but Owen''s yellow light surrounded him.  He smiled in return. "You''re welcome, friend." Owen beamed like the sun.


    "Stop posturing," El scolded.


    Shel''s and Owen''s light faded at the same time.  Shel''s jaw clenched. It seemed even more exaggerated as his white stripes shifted against his blue skin.


    El had already turned away from him and hadn''t noticed.  Shel''s jaw unclenched and he silently released the tension in his body.  Everyone else had already focused on El. I thought I was the only who noticed Shel.  Our eyes met briefly before he turned to his mother along with everyone else. I didn''t think he held any real animosity towards his mother.  Any real anger he had would have been directed at his father, like mine was directed to my father. Although, my father hadn''t just saved me from the Corruption.  Shel might be having a difficult time staying angry at his father. Maybe he didn''t have anywhere to direct his anger anymore.


    "You will open my light now," El said - demanded - to Esther.


    "Yes," Esther said.


    Owen collapsed into the black chair on the side of the couch nearest Shel.  I sat in the black chair on the other side of the couch. El stood in front of Esther.  Warpaint moved to the empty space next to my chair. El had told my father she was going to set a schedule to train Owen and me along with Shel and Minmin.  I hadn''t told her yet that my father sometimes spied on me through Warpaint. I just hadn''t had the opportunity to speak with her one on one. I hoped my father would spy on me less or not at all now that I would be training with El.


    Minmin scooted on the couch so she was a little closer to me.


    "Are you nervous?" I whispered to her.


    She nodded.  Her floppy ears swung back and forth with the movement.


    "It''s going to be all right," I said quietly.  "I''m confident I can open the light inside you."  I hadn''t been before I heard Shel''s words and saw how quickly Owen had accomplished his task.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Esther''s hands went to the back of El''s head and her forehead.  Esther and El closed their eyes.


    "That''s not what I''m nervous about," Minmin whispered so only I could hear.  Her green eyes were sad. "If my parents have the Corruption now and I have the light, I''ll forever be separated from them."


    I reached out and enclosed her small hand with my large one.  I didn''t say anything. What could I say? Nothing would make her loss better.


    El blazed in a red light.  Esther and El opened their eyes and smiled at each other.


    "Finally a color I''m familiar with," Esther said.  "Everyone on the Lion of Judah Research Station either had pink or red lights."


    "What does the red light do?" Owen asked from his seat.  "You can make a wind."


    "I don''t know," Esther said.


    I wasn''t sure when it happened, but El and Esther held hands as they faced each other.


    "Even those with the same color of light had drastically different powers.  The Awakened One wasn''t long enough with us to answer all our questions. He had so much to teach us still."  Pain came to her eyes before she pushed it away.


    El squeezed Esther''s hands.  She turned to Minmin.


    "You''re turn."


    Minmin stood and faced me.  I stayed seated as that put me more or less eye level with her.


    El pulled Esther to the couch.  Esther sat where Minmin had just vacated.  El sat between Esther and Shel.


    I cupped my hand behind Minmin''s head.  I placed my other hand on her small forehead.  Her cream fur was soft against my flesh.  My hands were larger than her head. I closed my eyes and focused my light in my hands.  My fingers tingled. I remembered what it felt like when Esther opened the light in me - the warmth from her hands that seemed to send electrical impulses throughout my body.  She didn''t mention anything like that when she gave me instructions so I tried to find the shadow-like light she spoke of.


    I never did see a shadow.  Instead I saw a white light like sunlight streaking through clouds.  I had been able to see Esther''s light before I was supposed to be able to as well.  I stretched out my green light to touch the white. My palms pulsed with similar electric impulses from when my own light was opened within me.  I pulled on the white light. It did stretch like taffy, but only for the briefest of moments before my green light almost caressed the white and coaxed it out.  White exploded out in every direction and blinded me even with my eyes closed.


    I blinked my eyes open.  Minmin was surrounded in white light.  She stared down at the white in the palm of her hands with a smile on her face, but tears in her eyes.  She quickly blinked the wetness away.


    "Your light is white," Esther exclaimed.  She bounced off the couch and held Minmin''s small hand in hers.  "It''s so beautiful."


    And with that, Esther won Minmin completely over.  I didn''t think I''d hear Minmin say that she didn''t like or trust Esther anymore.


    "Excellent job, sir," Warpaint said.  "The light you gave your little friend is the best yet.  No one else did so well."


    "Warpaint," I said.  "I didn''t give her the light.  It was already hers."


    Everyone else had stood and formed a natural circle as they talked about their different colors of light and what they might mean.  Everyone except Shel, who watched me from the now almost empty couch. His eyes turned from me to the group. He got up to join them.  El pulled him in close and immediately started talking about his dark purple color.


    "Regardless," Warpaint said to me, "you did an incredible job, sir."


    "Everyone did a good job," I said.  I stood up to join the rest of them.


    "Yes," Warpaint said loudly.  Everyone looked at him. "You all did well.  Good job all you young people."


    The rest of them looked at El to see if she would object to being called a young person with the rest of them, but she didn''t.  She knew why Warpaint thought I was older than everyone else. According to my birthdate, I was.


    "You both did it," Esther said to me and Owen.  "This opens up so many new possibilities. If all of us can open the light in others, we can form a real army against the Corruption."


    "Yes," El said, "but let''s not get ahead of ourselves.  We should discover what we know about our own light so we can help the others discover their possibilities when the time comes.  And we should only start with people we really trust. Right now that list is very small. Pretty much restricted to everyone in this room.  If the miasmids - if the Corruption find out we have the light and can open it in more people, they will target us even more than they have been."  She looked at me, but squeezed Shel''s shoulder. That small movement confirmed what I already suspected, that the Corruption had purposely been targeting me since Mars.  But I also thought they had been targeting Shel as well.


    There was a quiet zap noise and then a crash.  All of our heads turned in the direction of the crash.  Next to a small end table, on the white carpet were shards of a black vase.


    "Sorry," Minmin said sheepishly.  White light was still gathered in her right hand.


    "What did you do?"  El asked excitedly. "Show me."


    Minmin pointed her finger at a broken shard.  A white streak of lightning snaked from her finger and broke the shard into smaller pieces.  A small fire started on the carpet. I took two long strides and stamped it out before the fire systems could be alerted.


    "That''s amazing," Esther said.  "You try something," she said to Shel.


    El placed an empty mug into Shel''s hand.  "Try to set it on fire or something," she said.


    Shel looked down at the white mug.  "A fire doesn''t seem right, but I''ll try something."  The dark purple light surrounded the mug. The mug crushed and folded into itself until all that was left was dust.


    El smiled proudly at her son.


    "That''s amazing too," Esther said.  She clasped her hands together in front of her chest.  "I''ve never seen that before or Minmin''s lightning. What about you?" She asked El.


    El walked near me and picked up one of the black shards.  The red light gathered in her hand around the shard. The shard sliced in half perfectly without any jagged edges and then into fourths and eighths.


    "You all found your powers so quickly," Owen said.  "I didn''t find mine that quickly. And Vai . . ." he trailed off.


    "Haven''t found mine," I finished for him.


    "Don''t worry," Esther said.  "I''m sure when you discover what it is, it will be amazing."


    El went back to the group and stood between Minmin and Esther.  Esther went on about their powers and the possibilities. And mine was non existent except for a tingle in the fingers.


    "Your powers are amazing, sir."  Warpaint put a hand on my shoulder.  He spoke quiet enough that the larger conversation in the room wasn''t disturbed.  "No one else could give the white light."


    I couldn''t bring myself to tell him for a second time that it didn''t work that way.

 Chapter 15 .

    Vai


    "Wake up, son."


    I opened my eyes slowly.  One, because I was having a nice dream about Callie, Emilio and Posha and two, it was too early to deal with whatever it was my father was going to tell me.


    My father sat on the edge of my bed dressed in his uniform and lab coat.  Usually if he woke me up - which was rare - he stood tall over me. I sat up and looked at Warpaint.  He stood in the corner where he recharged himself while I slept. He blinked at me.


    "El tells me you are training with her and her son."


    "And Owen and Minmin," I added just so my father didn''t dismiss them so easily.


    My father nodded.  He looked at my wall.  His face was expressionless.


    "At least your new friends have purpose," he said.


    "As opposed to Callie, Emilio and Posha?"  I said angrily. Maybe he hadn''t meant it that way, maybe it was because I had just dreamed of them.  I thought he had meant it that way though. "You stole my life away."


    "I saved your life."  His body tightened as his voice grew louder.


    "I was happy where I was."


    My father opened his mouth to yell at me, but he closed it quickly and looked away from me.  "I don''t want to argue about this again. You would have died. There was no cure for your disease then."


    He said that, but I wasn''t sure I believed him.  It was possible I had a disease, but he never mentioned it to me until I woke up 79 years after my 16th birthday.  It might have been a lie. It was possible I was just something to experiment on while he furthered his scientific knowledge.  Cryogenics existed, but in general it wasn''t allowed except by special permission by the governing body of the Gathering. Longevity treatments were more standard and even those were rare and cost a lot and required permission.  There was no dispute when my father paid for his.


    I didn''t know a lot about cryogenics, but I thought my father''s process of putting me to sleep was different than the traditional cryogenics.  I supposed that was one reason those strange people robbed us after we left Mars. They were hoping for clues on his technology, but my father had already moved everything out.  I also thought there was more to it than that. The Corruption specifically targeted my father and me and there had to be more reasons than technology.


    "Some people on the ship might have noticed a change in the scheduled constellations as we jump through F.T.L," my father said.  He looked at me expectantly.


    "I haven''t paid much attention to the constellations," I said.


    My father sighed.  His jaw clenched and unclenched.  "I know," he said.


    "I don''t have to be involved in the sciences to be successful in life," I bit out.


    He frowned, but didn''t say anything.  He obviously thought there wasn''t a higher field of success other than the sciences.


    "Why do my conversations always end up like this with you?" my father asked.


    I didn''t think he really wanted an answer so I stayed quiet.


    "The point of me coming in and starting this conversation was to tell you that the G.E.F. has changed our flight plan.  We don''t know why the Armstar and Fallfrost were attacked.  We don''t know why they disappeared, but we haven''t had any communication with them and we can''t take a chance that we will be attacked due to our original flight plan."


    He paused as if he expected me to say something, but I didn''t understand why he told me all this.  The general people in the fleet might not know why the Armstar and Fallfrost were attacked, but my father certainly did.  He didn''t know I knew about the Corruption so I stayed quiet.


    "There is a small Starwatcher mining colony on Doussix," my father said.


    My heart jumped.  That was the planet Esther said the Awakened One was on.


    "Teacher Miller wants to schedule field trips to the mining colony and she has been given permission.  I wasn''t going to let you go, but El said she wants to do a separate excursion with you, Shel, Minmin and Owen.  I think I will agree to that."


    I wished Shel, Minmin and El had been involved with us earlier on.  I shouldn''t have been so opposed to Shel telling his mother about what we knew in the first place.  She solved so many issues between me and my father. Not all the issues. I was still angry with him for putting me to sleep for so long instead of trying to find some other solution.


    "Are you going to be watching through Warpaint again like on Brist?"


    My father looked up at the ceiling.  "I thought about it." He turned to me, but I don''t think so.  Not with El there. She is more capable than Teacher Miller. I trust her.  And the captain of the Remembrance has asked that I go check on their ship''s A.I."


    "The A.I. is acting up?"Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Using A.I.s for the ships'' computers had been around since before I slept.  Sometimes they acted up - went crazy. It was rare when I was young, but almost unheard of now.  Shortly after I woke up, there was a report that a Gathering Exploration ship''s A.I. went crazy. They couldn''t fix it in time and it cut off the life support killing everyone on board.


    "I''m sure it''s nothing," my father said, "but I''ll go look at it anyway."


    "Are you the fleet''s resident expert on A.I.s?  Is that why you came early to the Shadow to work on it''s computer?"


    "Who told you I worked on the Shadow''s computer?"


    "No one.  I''m putting two and two together.  You came early and it talks to you differently than it talks to other people."


    My father didn''t say anything as he stared at me for a great while.


    "Yes," he finally said.  "I am the fleet''s resident expert on A.I.s and yes I worked on this ship''s computer.  This computer is the most stable in the entire Gathering and will always be so."


    "Thank you," the ship''s computer interrupted our conversation.


    Chills ran down my arms.  She had spoken with me before - in the ansible - where I didn''t think she was supposed to reach.  She had said words I remembered my mother speaking. Since now I knew my father had worked on this computer, it was possible he programmed it with certain aspects of my mother.


    I looked at him and wondered if I should say anything about my mother.


    "I just came to tell you I give you permission to go with El.  I''ve already made sure Lieutenant Tanpo will be your pilot."


    "Thank you," I said.  I would get to see the Awakened One - learn from him.


    My father nodded and left without another word.


    I went through my morning routine and entered the ansible for school.  None of my friends were there yet, but Spencer was. Some of his friends from the Remembrance were there, but they clustered around each other and not Spencer.  I wasn''t sure if that was something Spencer had requested of them or if they avoided him because they didn''t know what to say.  I didn''t realize I was staring, until Spencer stared back. I gave him a slight nod. He looked down at his hands on top of his wood desk.


    I went to my seat.  My stomach had a sick pit in it that opened wider and deeper.  I knew what it was like to live without your mother.


    Shel and Minmin showed up almost at the same time.  Neither of them looked at Spencer as they came and sat next to me.


    "You''re coming over today to train?" Shel said.  It was sort of a question, but really more of a command.  I didn''t think he meant it as a command though, he sometimes just had that way of talking.  It was understandable considering his dad was a captain and his mother a former Jo-Dinun.


    "Yes," I said.


    Hani entered the school program.  She looked at Rebecca''s and Mingao''s empty seats.  Nathan entered next. He sat next to Robert who we found out was relocated to the Northstar.


    Brak''stin was the only K''thaktra in our class.  I hadn''t realized it until those from the Armstar and the Fallfrost were relocated, but Brak''stin had been on the Armstar with Shel and Minmin.  They said he seemed shy and rarely came out of his quarters so they didn''t know much about him.  He had been relocated to the Nova.  The only other student from the Armstar - a human named Michelle - didn''t ever show up to class and there was no record of her being relocated to another ship.  We didn''t think she got off the Armstar.  She''d be infected now by the Corruption like Rebecca and Mingao.  If we ever saw any of them again, they''d be enemies.


    A human from the Nova - Dhruv - came in and clapped Brak''stin on the shoulder affectionately.  I hadn''t seen them interact before Brak''stin relocated. I thought I saw a hint of a smile on Brak''stin''s orange lips which made his kabuki mask like face a little more personable.  It was good he was finally making a friend.


    I suddenly missed Thrissko.  My first and only K''thaktran friend.  I knew he had the Corruption inside him now and that made him my enemy, but in making him my enemy, the Corruption also made me realize once and for all that Thrissko had once been my friend.  I could stop saying he wasn''t quite a friend. We had spent almost all our time together, laughed at school together, went boxing together. He had been my friend. Maybe I had been his first real friend too.  Looking at Brak''stin now who had once been so solitary open up - even if it was a tiny bit - to someone, maybe Thrissko also had a hard time before I came along.


    Teacher Miller came in and started class.  "I have exciting news," she said. "We have been given permission to go to the Doussix mining colony.  There will be rules you must strictly adhere to. The mines can be dangerous. I have paired you up again."  Student''s okulus''s chirped or buzzed all around us.


    "And you," Teacher Miller turned pointedly to me, Minmin and Shel.  Owen hadn''t come into the program yet, "have special permission to go with Shel''s mother.  It''s up to her where she will take you and what you will do."


    "Why?" Spencer asked.  I couldn''t tell if he thought we were getting special treatment or if he was genuinely curious.


    Owen signed in and sat at his desk.


    "I want special permission to go with Shel''s mom too."  I missed who said it, but I was pretty sure it was one of Spencer''s friends from the Remembrance.  It might have been Mark.


    "Sure," Owen said, "if you want a former Jo-Dinun to boss you around and train you until your muscles feel like they are tearing apart and your joints are being ripped from your sockets."  He rubbed his left shoulder for emphasis. "What are we talking about?"


    "Field trip to Doussix," Teacher Miller said.  "Please stop being late."


    "Will do, friend." Owen said easily.  None of us believed him.


    The lesson for the day was all about the different minerals on Doussix, the mining process and the history of the mining colony.


    When class ended and everyone began to exit, Hani lingered a moment, her eyes on me.  Then she quickly signed out.


    "Maybe you should go see how she''s doing before you come to the training session," Owen said to me.


    I was about to ask why me, but remembered the way she looked at me and the way she hugged me when she first boarded.


    "Okay," I said.


    I signed out of the ansible.  Warpaint greeted me with an algae bar.


    "Time for training?" he asked.  "I quite like that El. It''s too bad she''s too young for you."


    I had got off the bed and started to walk to the door, but I stopped and stared at him.  Was he seriously thinking Shel''s mom would be suitable for me? The thought kind of made me sick to my stomach.


    "And," he went on as if I wasn''t staring at him like he was crazy, "too bad she already has a mate.  Even though he is filled with the Corruption, she''ll never have anyone else. Even if he dies."


    "Warpaint."


    "What, sir?"


    "Please don''t try to pair me up with anyone in the future."


    "Okay, sir.  I''ll leave that to your father."


    I had started walking, but paused again at these new words.  I sighed out my frustration and decided to let it go. Warpaint wouldn''t understand if I tried to explain it to him.


    We stepped out into the corridor and I started to the elevators, but instead of getting on them, my feet took me down a different corridor.


    "Where are we going, sir?  We haven''t been this way before."


    I hadn''t been down this way, but I knew who had.  My heart pounded and my brain seemed to pulse as it told me to turn back to the elevators.  I stopped in front of a door and knocked.


    The door opened.  Spencer greeted me from the other side.

 Chapter 16 .

    Vai


    Spencer blinked at me with a blank expression on his face.  I wasn''t sure what to say - wasn''t sure why I came. The silence stretched out between us.


    "I just wanted to say that I''m sorry about your mom," I said.


    The muscles in his jaw tightened.  I couldn''t determine anything from his eyes.  I didn''t know if he hated that I was there or if he was grateful or something else completely.  It didn''t occur to me until that moment that Spencer might be infected by the Corruption too.


    "I know what it''s like to be without a mom," I said.


    Moisture sprang to his eyes.  He looked up at the ceiling. His adam''s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed.


    "At least you know what happened to your mother," he said without looking at me.


    "That''s true," I said.  At least I knew my mother was dead.  I wasn''t left wondering if she was alive somewhere - if she would come back - if she was suffering.  I knew Spencer''s mom was dead and not suffering anymore, but I couldn''t tell him that.


    When he looked at me, there was no sign of the moisture I had just seen.  "Thanks for stopping by," he said. He took a step back into his quarters and the door started to close.


    "Wait."  I put my hand in the doorframe.  The door stopped and slid back fully open.


    "What is it?"


    I was sure he didn''t have the Corruption inside him.  With as emotional as he was at the moment, I was sure I would have seen the pink glint in his eyes if he was infected.


    "If you think you ever see anyone with a pink glint in their eyes - even if it''s for a brief moment, even if you think your eyes are playing tricks on you - stay away from them."


    His expression changed and he took a step forward.  He had seen the pink glint in someone''s eyes. I was sure of it by his reaction.  Maybe he had seen it in his mom''s eyes.


    "What do you know?" he asked.


    I was going to say I didn''t know anything, but what came out of my mouth was, "I can''t tell you."


    That surprised him and his whole being paused.  I surprised myself too. I hadn''t meant to reveal even that much.


    "My mom was different before she disappeared," Spencer whispered.


    I nodded.


    "Do you know what hap...nevermind.  I don''t want to know."


    I wanted to tell Spencer everything then.  He must be suffering not knowing about his mother - knowing she had been different.  He might have even seen the pink in her eyes. I wanted to protect him - to open the light inside him and let him protect himself.  But I couldn''t do any of that without speaking with the others. And I wasn''t sure how Spencer would feel if he knew what we did to his mother.  He already didn''t like Owen. Past grievances over chocolate seemed so futile now, but Spencer might see it differently.


    "Thank you," he said.


    I nodded.


    He stepped back into his quarters and the door shut between us.  I stood there a moment longer. I didn''t know what I had expected from that encounter.  Maybe to feel less guilty about Adi Pines''s death. That didn''t happen. If anything I felt worse because not only did we kill Spencer''s mom, I also wasn''t giving him the one thing he could use to protect himself from the Corruption.


    I finally stepped away and headed back to the elevators.  Warpaint was silent by my side. We went to level 7. Hani''s quarters were near Shel''s so I knew right where to go.


    I knocked and waited.  The little girl I saw on the shuttle bay opened the door.  "Unni," she said, "that tall boy you have a crush on is here."


    My ears suddenly burned with embarrassment.


    Hani rushed to the door and pulled the little girl away.  "I don''t have a crush on him," she said, but her cheeks were flushed pink.  "I don''t have a crush," she said to me.


    "Yes she does," the little girl whispered from behind her.


    Hani turned around and pushed - not hard - the little girl towards the bedroom door.  "Go away," Hani bit out quietly.


    The little girl retreated, but only to the space behind the couch.  Hani turned back to me.


    "I don''t know, sir," Warpaint said.  "She is too young for you."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "Warpaint, she''s 17.  I''m 17."


    "No you''re not, sir," Warpaint said in a tone that made me think he was trying to mimic a whisper, but not quite making it.


    I quickly decided to ignore any indications of a crush.  I was not ready for a relationship. It had been over a year since I woke up, but I still missed Callie - still had to come to terms with the fact that she led a full life without me.  And there was the Corruption to deal with, the training, trying to figure out the powers of my light and the fact that I would soon see an Awakened One for myself.


    "I just came by to see how you''re doing," I said to Hani.


    "Fine," she said.  "I miss Rebecca. I don''t really have anyone to hang out with here."


    I couldn''t exactly invite her to hang out with me and my friends as we spent our time training with a stowaway who killed people.  I killed someone. Rebecca and Mingao must have the Corruption inside them by now.


    "Maybe you could contact Minmin sometime to hang out," I said.  I knew that would be difficult though as Minmin always trained with us.


    I could see the disappointment in Hani''s eyes, but what else could I do?


    She nodded.  "I like Minmin."


    "Well, I''ve got to go."  I waved to her little sister.  She waved back.


    "Thanks for stopping by," Hani said.


    "Sure," I said.  "I''ll stop by again."  She must have felt so alone.


    I took a step away, but stopped and turned back around.  "I think Spencer has been really lonely too. Especially since his mother...disappeared.  Maybe you could stop by sometime just to see how he''s doing." Maybe the two of them could be lonely together.


    "Maybe I''ll take Nathan with me and we can go see him."


    "That''s a good idea," I said.  Then I turned and went to Shel''s quarters.


    I didn''t bother to knock - none of us did.  Well, I meant neither Owen nor I knocked. Esther was living with them now.  She was more comfortable as she didn''t need to hide from parents and she could learn 24/7 from her hero, El.


    I stopped as soon as I walked in.  Lieutenant Tanpo sat on the couch. El sat next to her.  Minmin sat in one of the black chairs. Shel stood near the door.  He looked at me when I came in, but didn''t say anything. I didn''t see Esther or Owen.


    "All right, friends," Owen said behind me.  "I''m here. Let the fun begin. He squeezed between me and Warpaint.  "Why are you blocking the door, my friend? Do you need . . .?" He stopped when he saw Lieutenant Tanpo.


    "Good," El said.  She stood up and came to me and Owen.  She circled behind us and gently pushed us forward into the room.  The door shut behind us. "Now that we are all here, we may begin."


    "Begin what?" Owen asked.


    El went and sat next to Lieutenant Tanpo.  Owen sat on the arm of the black chair Minmin sat in.  I stood next to Shel.


    "I requested Lieutenant Tanpo to be our pilot to Doussix," El said.  I knew that Lieutenant Tanpo was our pilot because my father told me, but I didn''t say anything.  El''s eyes went to each of ours and finally landed on Lieutenant Tanpo. "Once we''re there, she''ll see what we are really up to."


    Lieutenant Tanpo''s eyes widened slightly at this.  "What will you be up to?"


    El smiled.  All of her smiles seemed like there was something behind them.  This smile for example almost seemed dangerous like she was expecting us to go into a grand battle that we would all enjoy, but would probably die.  I looked at Shel to see if he was affected by El''s smile too, but his expression didn''t change at all. And why would it? This was his mother, he probably didn''t know most mothers didn''t smile like this.


    "I like you, Lieutenant," El said.  "Say what you will about Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa, but he is always an excellent judge of those who can be trusted and help him with his agenda."


    "My father has an agenda?"  I hadn''t meant to speak it out loud.


    "Of course he does," El said.  "It''s the same as ours. He just goes about it differently."


    "To stop the Corruption," Minmin said.


    "Correct," El said easily.


    "What is the Corruption?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked.


    When El explained all about the Corruption - the miasmids - Lieutenant Tanpo nodded easily as if she had expected something like that.


    "I knew Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa was keeping something from me," she said.  "And I really became suspicious after Mechanic Wilson disappeared. I mentioned his strangeness to the Lieutenant Commander and then he suddenly went missing.  I thought he had done something to Wilson."


    El took in a deep breath.  "That wasn''t Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa," she said.  "He knows about me. I''ve worked with him in the past, but he doesn''t know his son and my son and the rest of them know anything about miasmids and how they are involved."


    Lieutenant Tanpo looked at all of us one at a time, me last.


    "You took care of Wilson?  On your own?"


    "Not exactly," I said.


    She looked at Owen.  Owen shook his head.


    "But El and the others weren''t on board yet," Lieutenant Tanpo said.


    "No," El said.  "There is more to tell you.  A weapon that gives us a tremendous edge.  A weapon that even the Lieutenant Commander doesn''t know about.  I would like to give that weapon to you, too. Do you want it?"


    "Yes," Lieutenant Tanpo said without hesitation.


    "Come out, Esther," El called out loudly.


    The master bedroom door opened and Esther walked out.


    Lieutenant Tanpo stood up.  "The mystery girl," she said.  "We need to report . . .," but she stopped when she saw El and realized that El had taken in the mystery girl.


    El took Lieutenant Tanpo''s hand and guided her to sit back down beside her.  "Esther is from the Lion of Judah Research Station. They were attacked by the miasmids.  She is the sole survivor. And I don''t mean the miasmids took over the rest of them like they did with Wilson.  I mean they killed them. All of them."


    "Why?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked.


    "Because of the light and the Awakened One," Esther said.


    El explained all about the light and our different powers - except mine.  She skipped over me since I didn''t know what my powers were. She told her about the Awakened One and that our real reason to go to Doussix on our own was because there was an Awakened One there.


    "Would you like the light too?" El asked.


    "Yes."


    El stood and Esther sat in front of the Lieutenant.  I had expected El to open the light in Lieutenant Tanpo herself.  I wasn''t sure why she didn''t. Maybe it was to get the Lieutenant to trust Esther faster.  Maybe she wasn''t sure she could do it herself.


    Esther''s hand circled around to the back of Lieutenant Tanpo''s blue head.  Both closed their eyes. It didn''t take long before Lieutenant Tanpo was washed over in an apricot light.  She opened her eyes and stared down at the light that surrounded her.


    "Don''t tell Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa about the light or his son''s involvement," El said.


    The Lieutenant nodded.  "He wouldn''t like Vai being involved in all this."


    "No," El said.  "He wouldn''t."


    We moved the furniture and began training.  The lieutenant didn''t figure out her power right away either, which made me feel a little less like a failure.

 Chapter 17 .

    Vai


    Owen and I met the others at their quarters.  El and Esther wore cloaks. Esther''s hood was pulled down to almost cover her light brown eyes completely and it cast a shadow on the rest of her face.  El had her hood up as well, but it only framed her face instead of coming forward over her forehead and eyes. Lieutenant Tanpo wasn''t there, but she would be prepping her shuttle.  I wondered if she had figured out her powers yet.


    We walked through the shuttles and elevator in a particular order.  El and Shel went first side by side. Esther was directly behind them in the middle.  Owen and Minmin flanked her. I took up the rear.


    The two security guards didn''t even blink when El and Shel passed between them into the shuttle bay.  The guard on the left looked twice at Esther. His eyes stared at her. The one on the right was distracted as Owen started asking him what his different badges meant.  Of course he knew what they meant, they teach that in elementary school. It was enough of a distraction for Esther''s long finger to reach out and touch the security guard on the left''s forehead without the one on the right noticing.  The security guard''s eyes lost focused as he blinked several times. Esther passed through unhindered.


    I had forgotten Esther had made Owen lose memories and time when he first confronted her in the corridors - before we knew her.  Owen thought she was a ghost.


    Warpaint and I were the last to pass.  I made sure I was directly behind Esther so my tall frame would completely block her.


    "Hey," the one security guard behind me said.  I didn''t stop. It didn''t seem like he was speaking to us.  "Stop daydreaming. Did you fall asleep?"


    "What?  No," the other security guard said.


    "Focus," the other one said.


    Lieutenant Tanpo saw us and waved us over to her shuttle.


    "Has anyone else left yet?" El asked her.  Esther slid passed both of them and boarded the shuttle before anyone else could become suspicious of her.


    "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa went to the Remembrance early this morning," Lieutenant Tanpo said.  "The rest of the students aren''t supposed to leave until early afternoon."


    El nodded.  "Shall we get going then?"  She stepped on board the shuttle.


    "I was supposed to go through my instructions," the Lieutenant said to me and Owen as Shel and Minmin ignored her and stepped on board.


    Owen patted her arm.  "They are good instructions too, friend.  I thoroughly enjoy hearing them." He stepped passed her to board.


    She looked at me.  I looked at her.


    "I shall wait to hear your instructions, Lieutenant," Warpaint said by my side.


    She paused as she thought about it.  "Nah, it''s all right. You''ve heard them before.  As long as you all remember, I think we''re good."


    "I definitely remember," Warpaint said.


    "Good, get onboard then."


    Warpaint and I stepped passed her.  My mechatronic let me board first.


    Esther sat in the front with her hood fully pulled back.  Shel, El and Minmin sat in the row behind her. Owen sat in the row adjacent to theirs.  I sat next to him and Warpaint sat next to me.


    Lieutenant Tanpo entered and closed the door.  Esther stood. "There are a few things I should warn you about the Awakened One."


    "I always wondered why you hated your Awakened One so much when he opened the light inside you," Owen said.  "You haven''t really said much about him."


    "We found him," Esther said.  "We woke him. And he told us about the Corruption.  We already had our suspicious of an alien race taking over the Gathering.  It was one of the main reasons we were so reclusive. About once a year a supply ship would come by, but other than that, we really didn''t have contact with those outside the research station."


    Lieutenant Tanpo sat in the pilot seat.  Esther paused in her story as Lieutenant Tanpo got permission to leave the Shadow.


    "You should sit," the Lieutenant said to Esther.


    "I need to guide you to him," Esther said.  "I''m not sure of his exact location on the planet.  I just need to feel him out when we get closer."


    "You should sit for that," Lieutenant Tanpo reiterated.


    Esther called on her pink light and lifted a foot of the floor.  "I''ll be fine even if we crash. I can use the light as a shield."


    "You are rebellious in the most annoying way for me," Lieutenant Tanpo muttered under her breath.


    "Just head to the planet for now.  I''ll guide you when we are closer."


    Lieutenant Tanpo shook her blue head, but didn''t argue further.


    "So," Esther continued as if she hadn''t stopped.  "We found him, but he tested us before he would open the light in us.  He demonstrated his light. We knew it was powerful. We knew we wanted it.  We were desperate for it. Our food had been tainted. It had been a long time since a supply ship had come.  We were starving. His light could save the food and us. The leaders argued over what he wanted, but in the end they sent me to give him what he wanted."


    "What did he want?" Owen asked.  His voice was quiet - rough.


    "Us.  Three of us.  My age. He had asked for the most promising of us.  The leaders sedated them and sent me with them to make sure it would satisfy the Awakened One."  Huge tears formed in her eyes and spilled out onto her cheeks. "For him to feed us, he wanted to be fed.  It was what he thought fair. It was what he demanded. The weaker to feed the stronger."The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "No," Owen whispered beside me.


    My stomach began to twist.  My chest began to weigh heavy.  My fists tightened by my side.


    More tears spilled onto her cheeks.  "I called him a barbarian. I tried to convince him of another way.  I tried to convince him generosity was strength. He said to kill was strength.  He ate one." Her words choked.


    I couldn''t look at the others to see how they were reacting.  I was trying to push back the tears that formed in my eyes - to push away the hard lump in the back of my throat at Esther''s pain.


    "I threw myself over the other two," Esther said.  "Levi and Naomi. I told him to leave them and take me instead."  She stood up a little taller and wiped the tears roughly from her cheeks.  "He didn''t agree so I told him the deal was rescinded and that we didn''t need anything from him.  I dragged Levi and Naomi away myself. The nagid was not happy with me. They accused me of ruining them - of killing us all.  The supply ship came that night, but with only half of what they usually brought.


    "The nagid took the two pilots that came on the ship to the Awakened One and he ate them.  It was only then that he would help us. I don''t know what this one will want in exchange for teaching us, but I do know I won''t let him hurt any of you."


    Then she went to Lieutenant Tanpo''s side and guided her to the correct coordinates using the ship''s computer.  I prepared myself for the horrifying words the Awakened One might say to us - of the horrible things he might demand.  None of us would give in to such horrible demands - I thought. I wasn''t really sure about El.


    We landed easily.


    "Are you sure this is the correct place?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked.  "There is nothing here."


    "The Awakened One is here," Esther said.  She didn''t wait for the Lieutenant to open the shuttle door.  She opened it herself. The rest of us scrambled out after her.  The air was thin, but breathable. The ground was hard rock and gray dirt.  Rocky gray crags jutted up from the ground around us. The sky was dark even though a weak sun tried to shine its light through the gray atmosphere.


    "There''s nothing here," Lieutenant Tanpo reiterated.


    "He''s here," Esther said quietly.  A small smile touched her lips as she closed her eyes.  Her pink light surrounded her. "I''m here," she called out.


    Nothing happened.  We waited and watched Esther.  She stayed still with her pink light blazing all around her.


    After several minutes with no sign of movement, El went to Esther and put a hand on her shoulder.  "Maybe we should . . ."


    "Wait," Minmin grabbed a hold of El''s wrist.  "I hear something."


    It grew quiet as we listened.


    "Something is getting closer on my sensors," Warpaint said.


    Esther still didn''t move.


    "From which direction?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked.


    "Below," both Warpaint and Minmin said.


    And then I heard a low rumble from deep beneath us.  It grew louder and the ground began to tremble. Little grains of dirt shifted violently.  Larger rocks tumbled. To the side of us rock and dirt flew upwards. We all lifted our arms to protect us from the falling dirt and rock and we called on our light as an extra shield.  There was now a very large hole in the ground. A tunnel that went straight down deeper than I could discern.


    There wasn''t any sign of an alien ancient being or anything else that could cause a hole like that.


    "Where is it?" Minmin asked.


    Esther ran passed all of us - passed the hole.  She stopped and stared up. "I''m here. I opened the light in these others."


    I looked up to where Esther looked, but didn''t see anything at first.  Then slowly I realized there was a gray light that I had mistaken as part of the terrain.  And then a large alien materialized within the gray light. He was tall - I only came to about his waist.  His girth was wide. His limbs were long. His was covered from head to toe in gray fur. His large eyes were yellow.   Two large canine teeth came out from beneath his top lip and rested over his bottom lip.


    "You did well, little one."  The Awakened One''s voice rumbled low causing small pebbles around his feet to bounce.


    "You''re a lot smaller than the other Awakened One," Esther said.


    Smaller?  I was only half his size and he was small?


    "Yes," the Awakened One said.  "I am the smallest. I am the weakest."


    "Are there more of you?" Esther asked.  "You are the only one who called out to me."


    "The others sleep."  He took a large step towards the rest of us.  We remained on the other side of the hole. I wasn''t sure how to feel about the Awakened One.  He was...terrifying. It didn''t help that his lips were blood red and everytime he spoke I saw multiple rows of sharp teeth.  And Esther said the other one had eaten fellow Gathering citizens. "They wait to open the light in those that can succeed against the Corruption.  We are the only beings left with the light. We must protect it."


    He stood in front of El.  I never admired her and Shel more as they stood their ground - didn''t even blink - as this monstrous creature towered over them.


    "We will succeed against the Corruption," El said without a doubt in her voice.


    "Maybe," the Awakened One rumbled.  "You are few and they are many."


    "The Gathering will be many," El said.  "This is only the beginning."


    "The ones with my brother were the beginning.  They failed."


    "We won''t."


    Esther called on her light and floated over the hole to stand beside El.


    "Why did you call to me if you thought we couldn''t succeed," Esther said.


    "I am weak," he said.  "They tell me I''m too impatient.  I''m too hopeful. I''m too impractical."


    "Who tell you these things?" El asked.


    "My brothers and sisters."


    He stepped away from them and stood in front of Minmin.  He could easily step on her and Owen - or pick them up and eat them.  I took a step towards her, but Lieutenant Tanpo beat me to her side.


    "I lack the strength to be feared," the Awakened One said as he stared down at Minmin.


    "The other one was terrifying," Esther said, "and I hated him."


    "It doesn''t matter if you hate.  It only matters that you learn. It matters that you survive."  He reached down with one large finger and touched the top of Minmin''s head between her ears.  "I understand why these others must make fake fur to cover themselves to protect themselves from the elements, but I don''t understand why you do."


    Minmin looked down at her clothes.  She straightened her red shirt and looked back up to - well the Awakened One''s finger.  I wasn''t sure if she could see around it to actually look him in the eye. "Just protocol I guess," she said.


    "Weakness," he said.  He removed his finger.  "If they told you to dress like them, you should destroy them and make them bow to your feet."


    "Now you sound like the other one," Esther said.  "''Destruction breeds strength'', he said. I still believe he was wrong.  Generosity and love will give strength to combat fear - to stand to defend those you love rather than give in and bow."


    The Awakened One turned his large yellow eyes to Esther.  He blinked at her and then moved to stand in front of me and Owen and Warpaint.  Warpaint stood in front of me.


    "I won''t hurt him, machine," the Awakened One said.


    Warpaint swiveled his head behind to look at me.  I nodded. Warpaint moved to my side instead of in front of me.  But he stayed very close. So close that his metal shoulder touched mine.


    The Awakened One''s eyes scanned me up and down.  "You are different," he said.


    El stiffened.  I hadn''t thought my being asleep for 79 years would show itself to the Awakened One.  I also didn''t think it would cause that reaction from El.


    "I''ve never seen anyone with light like yours."  This was the first time I noticed he spoke a different language - a foreign language I shouldn''t be able to understand, but I did.  I was also relieved he spoke of my light and not my sleep.


    "What''s different about it?" I asked.


    "You don''t know?" he rumbled.  "I think my people would have destroyed anyone with a light like yours."


    "What?  Why?" Owen spoke for the first time.


    "What is my light?" I asked.


    The right corner of his lip turned up into what I assumed was a smile, but all I saw was a very large canine and several sharp teeth.


    "It hasn''t revealed itself?"  He reached out his long finger and touched my forehead.  Heat burned into me. "What is it waiting for? Maybe you need a traumatic experience first."


    I didn''t like the sound of that.


    "These Gatherish won''t destroy you for your light.  They might even cherish you for it."


    "Wait," Esther moved to stand between me and the Awakened One.  It wasn''t to come to my defense. It was to get his attention. "Do you feel the same as I do?  Do you think love is strength?"


    "I am weak," was his answer.


    "That''s what your brothers and sisters tell you," Esther said, "but they are wrong.  That is why they failed and why we''ll succeed."

 Chapter 18 .

    Vai


    "I have brought writings that I believe are from your people," Esther said.  She took her backpack off and brought out the broken piece of wall. The Awakened One wasn''t paying much attention to her.  He was now in front of Lieutenant Tanpo staring at her with his head tilted.


    Esther handed him the piece.  He shifted his yellow eyes to look down at the writing in his large hand.  Then he tossed it over his shoulder.


    "What are you doing?" Esther rushed to pick up the piece of wall.  She held it tenderly in her hands. "This might be able to help us learn about our light."


    "No.  It won''t."  The Awakened One said simply.  "It is a recounting of history.  A history you already know. My people lost.  It won''t teach you about the light. And even if it did, you still wouldn''t need it.  You have me now." He picked it up out of her hands and tossed it down the hole.


    Esther''s lips pinched tight as she frowned at the Awakened One.


    "Teach us then," El said.  "We don''t have a lot of time before our ship needs to head out to the next schedule."


    The Awakened One looked at her as if this was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.  "Teaching and learning is not a process that happens in moments. It takes centuries."


    "We don''t have centuries," El said easily.


    "Then I will teach you the one thing all of you sorely lack that should be something basic."  He sat down on the dirt and rocks. "This one," he indicated Esther with a tilt of his head, "can teach you how to distort memories.  It''s a basic you should all know since you need to be secretive for now."


    "I did always want to ask how you made me forget," Owen said, "and how you stole time from me."


    "I didn''t steal time from you," Esther said, "I just put you in a daze."


    "But you did make me forget what you said."


    "Yes, that is something I can teach you.  But just like everything else with the light, you have to do it on your own to make sure it works."  She sat down next to the Awakened One. The rest of us took that as a cue and sat down in a circle. "I thought I''d stay and learn from you though," Esther said.


    The thought had never occurred to me that Esther wouldn''t stay with us and from the looks of everyone else - even El - neither did they.


    "We need you," El said.  "Honestly, I didn''t realize how large the Awakened One was.  I thought we could sneak him onboard, but now . . ."


    "Which is why you need to learn to stretch out with the light to contact me when I''m not there," the Awakened One said.  "To do that, close your eyes and still yourselves so you don''t get distracted by what''s going on around you. When it becomes easier for you, you should be able to do it with distractions."  He closed his eyes. The rest of us did the same.


    "Now, concentrate on your light," he said.  "Let it form around you and let it lift you out of yourself."


    I called my green light to me and surrounded myself with it.  I wasn''t sure if it surrounded my physical self, but I knew it surrounded my spirit self.  It caressed and tickled my soul. I guided the light gently and it lifted me. I opened my eyes.  My body was below me. My body sat straight with my eyes closed. The green light tethered me to my body.


    The Awakened One''s spirit was above his body much like mine.  He was surrounded by a gray light. He smiled when he saw me. He was still large, but somewhat less frightening as his spirit self.  No one else had joined us yet. That surprised me a little. I thought this would be easy for Esther. Hadn''t she contacted the Awakened One before?


    Shel''s purple light blazed and he lifted out of himself.  He opened his eyes and blinked at me only moments before Minmin did the same with her white light.  They both looked down at Esther''s body.


    "I thought she''s done this before," Minmin said.


    "I contacted her first," the Awakened One said.  "She knows how to stretch out her light, but not how to come out of herself.  Which is why we were never able to completely converse with each other.


    El and Owen were next.  Lieutenant Tanpo and Esther joined us almost at the same time.  Esther couldn''t hide her disappointment that it took her so long.


    "Can we move around?" Minmin asked.  She bounced up and down on her spirit feet.  When she saw that she could indeed move, she took a few steps away from her body.  "What happens if we go to far from our body?" she asked.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "If the light that tethers you to your body is severed, you will die.  You still need a heartbeat to live. Traveling from it doesn''t sever the tether, but it will leave your body vulnerable if you are not there to protect it.  You can stay in your body and stretch out your light."


    "That''s what I did," Esther said not knowing we had just discussed that very thing.


    "Yes," the Awakened One said.  "And now that you all can do this, we should be able to communicate clearly if you just stretch out the light.  I will say this form - where you are out of your body - is easier to communicate and provides clearer meaning and demonstration."


    "But it leaves us vulnerable where as just reaching out with the light doesn''t," Esther said.


    "Yes," the Awakened One said.


    "What happens to your spirit if you die outside your body?" Minmin asked.  "Do you stay a spirit and float around."


    "Like ghosts," Owen said.


    "When you die, you die," the Awakened One said.  "Like all creatures you go back to the ether. You reunite with nature."


    Neither Owen nor Minmin liked his answer.


    He ignored them.  "You can call on your light in this state so you are still able to fight with the light.  That would give you some defense if you are close to your body, but you can''t physically fight and defend yourself."  He gathered gray light in the palm of his furry hand. Pebbles below him - around his feet - flew into the air and swirled into a twisting, turning ball.


    "I see," Esther said.  Pink light blasted from her hands and pushed a rather large rock aside.


    "Sir, are you all right?" Warpaint said to my body.


    I didn''t answer because he wouldn''t be able to hear me anyway.  If he could hear us - or see us - he wouldn''t have asked if I was all right.


    Lieutenant Tanpo and I exchanged a glance as the others practiced their powers in their spirit state.


    "Sir?"  Warpaint put a metal hand on my shoulder and shook.  "Sir."


    Since I had no idea what my light was supposed to be able to do, I went back into my body.  I opened my eyes. "I''m fine, Warpaint."


    "Really, sir?  Because you wouldn''t respond."


    "I was communicating with the others through the light," I said.


    "But I didn''t see your light sir."


    "It was an internal thing.  Really, I''m fine."


    "Okay, because you wouldn''t respond and then rocks starting rising and shifting and exploding and imploding and there are fires."


    "The others are practicing their light.  It''s all right."


    "If you say so, sir."


    Lieutenant Tanpo blinked her eyes open.


    "You''re not going to stay as a spirit and practice your power?" I asked.


    "I don''t know my power," she said.


    "Then do you want to spar a bit while they are doing that?" I asked.


    She smiled.  "Let''s do it over there though," she waved a hand.  "We don''t want to disturb their bodies."


    Warpaint and I followed her to the spot she indicated.


    "Ready?" she asked.


    I nodded.  I got into my boxing stance - feet light - hands up.  She swiped out with a foot. I stepped away and blocked it with a fist.  She didn''t give me a chance to recover before she swung a fist towards my face.  I blocked that too.


    I didn''t see the knee that connected with my thigh, but I felt the red pain as it spread out in a star shape.


    Warpaint stepped between us.  Lieutenant Tanpo immediately stepped back.


    "It''s okay, Warpaint," I said.  "It''s how I learn. It''s how I get better."


    Warpaint seemed skeptical, but he took a step back.


    I readied myself again.  I blocked a punch and was ready for the kick that followed.  I tried something new. Instead of just blocking her leg I followed through with the momentum of the block and tried to grab her leg.  I did grab it, but she easily twisted out of it. She smiled though as if she liked my initiative.


    She tried to punch me, but instead of blocking it, I grabbed her arm when she got close and threw her over my shoulder.  I worried that she hit the ground too hard, but she smiled again. "I thought you''d stick with boxing moves," she said.


    "That was well done," the Awakened One''s low voice rumbled over the distance.  I didn''t know he was back in his body. He stood and the others stood around him as they watched us.


    "Learn the different ways to fight and learn fast," he continued.  "That move won''t work against the Corruption, though. Not unless they have a host."


    "Can the light help us sense the Corruption?" Esther asked.  "I''ve been trying, but the only way I can tell if they are in someone is by the pink in the eyes."


    "We have never been able to sense the Corruption coming," the Awakened One said.  "It is one of the reasons we lost. Now that we have returned to our bodies, let us all practice physical battle.  You block with your fists," he said to me, "but it is important to keep up your shield of light as well."


    It hadn''t occurred to me to keep the light shield up while sparing with the others.  I nodded and put the shield up. Green light surrounded me. Apricot light surrounded Lieutenant Tanpo.


    Shel and Minmin paired up.  Owen and Esther paired up. All of them going with who was familiar.  That left El with . . .


    "This is good," the Awakened One said.  "Out of all of them, you are the only one with a fair chance against me."


    El smiled that creepy smile that sometimes touched her blue lips.  She attacked him. Fast. Jumping up to kick at his mid region. He was fast too.  Faster than I thought. He grabbed at her with a large hand, but she spun out of the way.  A fist connected to my face. It didn''t hurt as I had my shield up, but I wasn''t expecting it.


    "That is foul play," Warpaint said as he stepped between me and Lieutenant Tanpo.


    "No it''s not," I said.  "I should have been paying attention.  She was teaching me. Move aside, Warpaint."


    "How many times will you ask me to move aside, sir?"


    "As many times as I need to."


    He stepped aside.  I threw a jab at her.  The blue ridge above her right eye raised slightly.  She side-stepped it, but just barely. I did a left hook, but she grabbed me and threw me much like I had thrown her earlier.


    I stood up and turned to face her.  She had thrown me far. I was a big guy.  She smiled.


    "Are you all right, sir?" Warpaint asked.  He took a step towards me.


    The ground rumbled beneath me before they came out of the ground.  Millions of them. They tore through my shield with ease. They tore through my flesh.  They cut my veins, my lungs. They shredded my heart.


    There was a primal scream that cut the universe.  It was Owen. He screamed for me. Screamed as my body collapsed to the dirt.  Screamed as El shouted for the rest of them to get back to the shuttle. Screamed as Lieutenant Tanpo and Warpaint rushed towards me.


    Screamed as the Corruption killed me.

 Interlude 6 .

    Thrissko


    They pulled the ancient enemy out of the water with aluminum ropes.  Blood pooled on it''s wet fur in several places. Only the Bundu-Jo could pull it out of the deep water, but more of us waited on land.  The many Bundu-Jo that pulled it out moved away once they were on land. They were all wounded.  Medical personnel moved to tend to the wounded.  Several groups that had waited on land moved in at once.  They fired their plasma guns at the enemy, but the pulses of plasma never reached the enemy.  They were stopped by an invisible barrier.  The ancient enemy roared, low and deep. All of the groups were flung backwards.


    A hoarse scream distracted me from the projection coming through my volo.  Our volos and okuli had been modified.  They kept recording our daily activities and we could communicate with each other, but all ties to the Gathering were severed.  We even created volos and okuli for our new Brist companions.  That was who I was connected with at the moment - the Brist who had joined my small group.


    Most of us were fighting the ancient enemy and I was stuck on the Armstar because the captain didn''t want to leave the dying first officer.  We were in the lounge. The first officer was placed in one of the booths.  Her husband cradled her head in his lap. The captain and second officer sat around them.


    "I''ve never seen anyone refuse the miasmids," I said to Sally.  She blinked up at me and twirled the knife between her fingers. She then turned her eyes back to the projection coming from my volo.


    "Let me die in my quarters."  The first officer''s voice was barely perceptible after all her screaming.


    Her husband bent his head over hers.  "Just accept them. Stop your suffering."


    She reached up a shaky hand and caressed his furry cheek.  "Never. I will die."


    The captain stood up.  "We''ll take you to your quarters."


    The second officer stood up and moved beside the captain.  The captain bent down to pick her up.


    "No," I said.  "She is to suffer."


    Captain Svolun turned to face me.  "You are the same age as my son. You don''t tell me what to do."


    "I won''t.  The miasmids will," I said.


    Captain Svolun and Second Officer Igwe grabbed their heads in pain.  The miasmids filled me with pleasure. I smiled. Sally smiled.


    The first officer let out a weak moan.  Then she went limp. She was dead. She had managed to resist the miasmids enough that the pain killed her.


    Her husband hugged her to his chest. Second Officer Igwe''s shoulders dropped.  Captain Svolun turned away from them. His eyes met mine before they turned to Sally.  She stopped twirling her knife and put a thin cut in her forearm. The captain walked quickly over to us, grabbed her knife out of her hands and tossed it over his shoulder.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Stop doing that," he told her.


    I stood up, retrieved the knife, went back and sat down next to Sally.  I handed her the knife. She looked at the captain defiantly as she placed the palm of her hand over the barbs on the back of my hand.  She sliced her hand open and blood oozed out.


    The captain shook his head, pinched his blue lips tightly together and walked away from us.  He stopped and turned back around. "Let''s go kill the ancient enemy."


    I stood up and followed him out, Sally always by my side.  Second Officer Igwe followed us out to leave the first officer''s body alone with her husband.  We exited the ship. I could see the battle in the distance. It didn''t take us long to join the fray.


    "Form up with the others and obey the commands," Captain Svolun told me.  To Sally he said, "Go stand over there and keep your distance."


    I paused as I listened to the miasmids.  They told me to do whatever I wanted. I looked down at Sally.  She reached up and took my hand.


    "We''ll do what we want," I said to the captain.  He scowled at me, but I moved passed him - Sally with me - and charged the back of the ancient one.  The captain - all of the Gathering leaders - needed to realize they weren''t in charge anymore. The miasmids were and I only answered to them.


    I tried to punch the ancient one in the back with my barbs leading the way, but they hit an invisible barrier.  So did Sally''s knife at the back of his leg. We looked at each other. She indicated we should go to the front of the creature.  There were already a lot of people at the front, but I trusted her. We ran under his arms as he swung them wildly. He clobbered a group of people who had chosen to rush him at that moment.


    "The plasma guns aren''t working," Captain Svolun called out.  "Use the electric batons.  We need to attack together and in rapid succession.  It''s the only way to break his barrier."


    The ancient enemy''s hand came down over Captain Svolun, but the captain dove out of the way.  Several of the Gathering - former Gathering - surrounded the ancient enemy and attacked him all at once.  He roared and they went flying backwards. I felt the power this time as it blasted from the ancient enemy.  It knocked Sally from her feet. I lifted her back up and set her right. Another group immediately attacked.  Captain Svolun gave orders and everyone obeyed. Except me and Sally. We waited for our opportunity.


    The enemy roared again and another wave blasted from him, but this time not as strong and even little Sally managed to stay on her feet.  Our people charged him again.  Most of the electric batons were repelled, but a few managed to get passed the barrier and strike the enemy''s legs.  His barrier was weakening.  Sally placed her small hand on my arm to get my attention. She pointed to herself and then to the enemy''s eye.


    I wasn''t sure what she wanted at first, but the miasmids relayed it to me.  I calculated the distance between me and the ancient enemy. He was much taller than any of us - more than twice my height.  Second Officer Igwe stood with the group directly in front of the enemy now. I picked up Sally and ran to the officer''s back.  I jumped up and used his shoulders as a springboard just as the other group attacked. I ran up the enemy''s arm.


    I threw Sally up to the ancient enemy''s face.  Her knife stuck in the invisible barrier centimeters away from its left eye.  She landed on his shoulder. I jumped and used the momentum to punch the knife as hard as I could.  It slipped through the shield and into the eye.  The knife and my hand continued through the eye and into the brain. I retracted my arm - now covered in blood and brains and gooey eyeball mush.  I grabbed Sally and ran down the enemy''s arm as he fell. I jumped and rolled along the ground with Sally safely tucked in my arms. I stood and set her on her feet as the ancient enemy crashed to the ground.  The dirt beneath our feet vibrated with the fall. The enemy was dead.


    There was a moment of silence.  Then my fellow people cheered. I cheered.  Sally pumped her arms up into the air. And then the miasmids filled us with a euphoria so strong our legs gave out.  All of us reclined on the ground among the dead enemy basking in our euphoria. Sally dipped a finger in the blood and brains on my arm and wiped it on her cheek.  Then she did the same for me.


    I would do anything for that feeling.  I would do anything for the miasmids.

 Chapter 19 .

    Vai


    I floated above my body.  The green light that had tethered me to my body had been severed, but I didn''t rejoin nature like the Awakened One just said I should.  I didn''t see a bright tunnel. I didn''t go to a heaven or a spirit world. I wasn''t reunited with my mother. I didn''t disperse. I was just there.


    El ushered Owen - who had stopped screaming - Esther, Shel and Minmin onto the shuttle.  She called out to Lieutenant Tanpo. Tanpo ran towards my body behind Warpaint, but she stopped at El''s words.  Tanpo looked at my body then to El and back again.


    The Awakened One took giant steps towards me, but he urged the others onto the ship.


    Millions of the Corruption rose into the sky.  The pink shimmering smoke charged the Awakened One and Lieutenant Tanpo.  They ignored Warpaint.


    "Sir," Warpaint said quietly as he reached my body.  It was obvious I was dead. My body was shredded. He opened his front.  His insides shifted to make room. I had once thought that I might be able to fit into him like a suit, but I never imagined it would be my dead, bloodied body.


    He closed his front.  I was pulled not to my body but to Warpaint''s head.  It was its own gravity that I couldn''t resist. I bounced along with him as he jogged back to the others.


    El and my friends were on the shuttle.  The Awakened One and Lieutenant Tanpo wouldn''t make it in time.  The Corruption would reach them first.


    Lieutenant Tanpo screamed - a low guttural scream of frustration.  The apricot shield of light she had around her expanded, thickened.  It encompassed not only her, but the Awakened One and the entire shuttle.  It pushed the pink cloud of Corruption away from all of them - back towards Warpaint.  Warpaint turned so he faced away from Lieutenant Tanpo, the Awakened One and the shuttle.  Red spread from the thin lines on his body to cover the white. His chestplate opened and his Aether shield shot out towards the pink cloud.  The cloud fizzled into nothingness in many place. The rest of the Corruption dispersed and fled.


    Warpaint closed his chestplate and ran back to the shuttle.  Lieutenant Tanpo boarded and waved Warpaint onto the shuttle.  He ran passed her. The others stood looking out the windows. They turned to Warpaint when he entered.


    Owen rushed to Warpaint.  "Is he okay? He''s okay, right?  You put him inside you to keep him safe, right?  He''s not dead is he? My friend can''t be dead."


    "He''s not dead," Warpaint lied.  Why he lied, I wasn''t sure. Maybe to keep everyone calm until we got back.  I was definitely dead.


    "Is he conscious?"  Minmin now stood beside Owen.  Her green eyes seemed extra large and puppy like as she stared up at Warpaint.  "Can we speak with him?"


    "No," Warpaint simply said.


    "Maybe we can give him some first aid," Esther said.


    "He''s safer inside me," Warpaint said.


    "Sit down, everyone," El said.  "I''m sure Vai will be fine." She lied too.  The way she looked at Warpaint, I was sure she knew I was dead.  No one else, but Shel seemed to notice her look. Moisture sprang into his blue eyes, but he swallowed hard and they were gone.  So he knew too, or at least suspected.


    "The Awakened One won''t fit inside the shuttle," Lieutenant Tanpo said.


    "I don''t need to," the Awakened One said outside the shuttle door.  "I will fly next to your vessel until we reach space and then we will part ways."


    "We can''t part ways.  Not again." Esther had been seated, but she rose to her feet at the Awakened One''s words.


    "We can communicate better now," the Awakened One said.  "The Corruption found me. I need to hide again. I will call out to you once it''s safe."


    "You don''t have a ship of your own?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked.  "You will die in space."


    "We don''t need vessels to fly and survive in space," the Awakened One said.  "You got a small glimpse of your power today. Your defense can help their offense.  It is just as important. Don''t forget." He lightly tapped the side of the shuttle. "Go now.  The Corruption regroups to attack."


    Lieutenant Tanpo shut the door and slid into her pilot seat.  Warpaint sat next to Owen. I fit so perfectly inside him that every place he bent was a place I naturally bent.  My father had him commissioned perfectly for me. Almost as if this was Warpaint''s main purpose. The shuttle lifted.


    "Vai''s going to be fine, right?" Owen asked.


    "He will be," Warpaint said.  And then something ticked in Warpaint''s internal workings.  It wasn''t until my father answered his okulus that I realized Warpaint placed an internal call to my father.


    "What is it?" my father asked.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Warpaint didn''t have a volo for my father''s image to be projected through, but my father''s image was projected backwards into Warpaint''s internal workings through one of his eyes.  Like a backwards volo. My father stood on the bridge of the Remembrance at the A.I. station.  His fingers ran quickly over the computer terminal.


    "Code 0."  Warpaint didn''t speak the words with his mechatronic mouth, but my father heard it on his end.


    My father froze.  I had never seen him show fear until that moment.


    "Lieutenant Commander?" someone I couldn''t see said to my father.  "Are you all right?"


    "No."  My father stepped away from the terminal.  "I have to go." His long strides took him to the doors of the bridge in a matter of moments.


    "Lieutenant Commander."  A human hand grabbed his arm.  I didn''t recognize the human, but I recognized he wore the symbol of captain.  "The A.I. isn''t . . ."


    "My son," my father said.  His voice choked.


    "He''s injured?"


    My father nodded.


    "Badly?"


    "Yes," my father lied.  I was sure code 0 didn''t mean injury.  "I must go back to the Shadow now."


    The captain let go of his arm.  "Go. I''ll have a shuttle ready for you."


    My father rushed through the doors and onto the elevator.


    "Follow procedure, Warpaint," my father said to the empty elevator.  "No one can see the body."


    "Yes, sir."


    The internal call ended.


    The body.  Code 0 meant I was dead.  Why the secrecy? It wasn''t like he could put me to sleep for another 79 years.  My bodied wasn''t diseased. It was shredded. I wasn''t inside it anymore.


    Outside the shuttle windows, dark space encompassed us.  The Awakened One lifted a large hand in farewell and then he blinked away.  I didn''t see any sign of the Corruption following us.


    We landed on the Shadow.  Warpaint didn''t wait for Lieutenant Tanpo or anyone else to open the shuttle door.  He opened it himself and stepped onto the shuttle bay. And I bobbed along inside his head unable to go anywhere else.


    Dr. Rags and a medical assistant waited just outside the door.  Warpaint turned his head to look at Lieutenant Tanpo.


    "I called ahead for medical assistance," she said.  She had no idea that was the exact opposite of what my father wanted.  "Let Vai out, Warpaint. Let Commander Ragear take a look at him."


    "Yes," Dr. Rags said.  He had his celluplasor ready in his hand.  His volo hovered around him ready to scan me and tell him all my injuries.  That wasn''t necessary since I was dead.


    "No," Warpaint said.


    A shuttle entered and landed nearby.


    "What do you mean ''no''?" Lieutenant Tanpo said.  The others came out of the shuttle behind her. El stood in the door frame - not quite ready to come fully out.  "Vai is in need of medical attention. I saw him fall. I saw the blood."


    She didn''t see all the cuts - my skin cut into shreds - my heart nothing but tatters.


    "That''s enough!" My father''s voice boomed across the short distance.  "You are not needed Commander Ragear."


    "Lieutenant Commander," Dr. Rags said.  "This is my area of expertise. You need to stick with what you''re good at and let me do my job."


    "My son is my job and expertise," my father said.  He stood between Warpaint and the small Starwatcher doctor.  "If you have a problem with that, take it up with the captain."


    Esther, Owen, Minmin and Shel stood in a line behind Tanpo.  They all held hands. They all looked at the exchange between my father and Dr. Rags except for Shel.  He watched his mother. El looked down at the metal floor of the shuttle - quiet - almost defeated which I had never imagined was possible for her.


    "Warpaint, with me," my father said.  He walked away from them. Warpaint followed.


    "I will take it up with the captain," Dr. Rags called out to my retreating father.


    My father ignored him.  Warpaint followed him all the way back to our quarters and into my father''s room.  It was my first time in my father''s room. There was no bed. Instead, the room was filled with science equipment.  Including a few cylindrical tubes that went from the floor to the ceiling. Lights lit up the front of the tubes and each tube had a small computer terminal.  There was also a long table filled with small tubes and beakers. My father brushed these aside with a sweep of his arm long arm. He didn''t seem to care when some fell to the floor.  Where did my father sleep? Did he sleep?


    "Open up, Warpaint.  Let me see him."


    Warpaint opened his front.  My father caught my body as it fell forward.  He placed it on the table. He glanced over it once from head to toe and shook his head.  "It isn''t salvageable. Let me have the Laumalie preserver."  He held a hand out to Warpaint.


    Warpaint put his 3 arms over his chest - hugging himself.  The mechatronic didn''t have feelings like we did and this seemed more like he was protecting himself - or maybe my father - rather than actually hugging himself.


    My father had been studying my dead face, but when Warpaint didn''t obey my father looked at him.


    "He isn''t there," Warpaint said quietly.  "I had two important tasks - to protect Vai and if that failed to capture his essence.  I failed in both."


    My father''s dark skin took on an ashen tone I hadn''t seen before.  "He has to be there," he whispered.


    Warpaint put his arms back to his side as my father approached him.  My father opened Warpaint''s chestplate. He unhooked wires and moved things around.  Finally he pulled out a square crystal that had wires coming out of it. The crystal was dull.  My father collapsed into the only chair in the room.


    "He''s not here," he whispered.


    "I failed," Warpaint said.  "I need to be destroyed."


    "No, Warpaint.  This isn''t the end.  I can still make this right.  I can''t live without my son."


    He slid the chair to a computer terminal that was independent from the ship.  "I still have all of his memories from before. Do you have his volo?"


    Warpaint reached inside himself and pulled out my volo.  My father took it from him.


    "Is our son dead?  Commander Ragear is communicating with Captain Axa that you won''t let him tend to Vai''s wounds."


    I didn''t have a body, but the tingling sensation ran throughout my spirit self.  The ship''s computer spoke to my dad in my mother''s voice. I remembered it now. Very clearly.  My mother''s voice, her inflections. Did my father really make the Shadow''s computer a reflection of my mother?


    "I can save him," my father said.  He connected my volo to the independent computer terminal.  He retrieved my okulus from my wrist.


    Save me how?


    "The Gathering Counsel should not have agreed to your experiments.  You should have let us both go," my mother''s voice said. "It is not right for my mind to be this ship.  It is not right to replicate our son."


    The tingling sensation inside me spread - jumped, twirled.  Replicate?


    "I can''t live without either of you," my father said.  He went to one of the cylindrical tubes. His fingers worked rapidly over the computer terminal.  A seam ran down the front of the tube. The front opened from side to side into two pieces. Inside was my body - fresh, unblemished, lifeless.


    My attention went from the fresh body to the torn one on the table and back again.


    "They should never have allowed you to clone our son," my mother said.

 Chapter 20 .

    Vai


    "You should have let our son remain dead 80 years ago," my mother''s voice said.  "How many clones did you experiment with before you discovered the correct formula for the Laumalie preserver?  This clone was the only one you let out.  The only one you introduced as your son. A new one won''t be the same without the Laumalie preserver.  It will only be the memories."


    "He is my son," my father said.  "He is."


    I didn''t have a body, but my spirit self felt like millions of electrical currents shocked through me over and over.  I was a clone? I wasn''t even the original? I was never there with Callie, Posha and Emilio. I wasn''t there when my mother died, when my father put me to sleep.  Wait...I never did sleep. The real Vai died. Maybe I - he - Vai - really did have an incurable disease like my father - Vai''s father - said. I was confused.


    "Is he a clone when only the physical body changed?" my father asked.  "I preserved Vai''s self - his spirit - his essence - his laumalie. It is still Vai.  My son."


    "How do you know?" my mother''s voice asked.  "How do you know the essence you preserved of Vai - and of me - was complete?  I like to think I''m an incomplete copy and the real Langi is in a beautiful spirit world with the real Vai."


    "No," my father shook his head violently.  "You are both real. I can''t live without you."


    The computer went silent.


    "Warpaint, how was this body destroyed?"


    "The Corruption - the miasmids, sir."


    "They were there?  Planetside? The planet was supposed to be safe.  The Starwatchers on Doussix have never shown signs of zek frenzy."


    "My sensors don''t pick up on them," Warpaint said.  "They came up from under the ground right where Vai was standing.  I think they were there for the Awakened One, but Vai was closer to them."


    "Awakened One?  What are you talking about?"


    "The Awakened One.  The alien who was teaching them about their light."


    "Warpaint, what are you talking about?"


    Warpaint told my father everything.  All about Esther, the light, that we were responsible for the missing people, the Awakened One.  My father accessed my vids from my volo as Warpaint spoke and played back many of the moments Warpaint spoke of - including when I killed Alessandra Garcia.


    "All of these memories will have to go into my son''s new body.  I don''t understand the light and I don''t think Vai will have it with his new body, but in order for his friends to continue believing he is the same Vai, he will have to retain his memories about all this."


    He hooked my okulus to the independent terminal after he finished uploading the information from my volo.


    I called on the light.  I still had it. It was the only thing that was still me.  I tried to lift myself away from Warpaint. I wanted to see my friends.  It had been easy to separate myself from my body down on Doussix. It wasn''t easy with Warpaint.  I didn''t know why I was connected to him. I would have thought that it was because of the Laumalie preserver except I wasn''t in the Laumalie preserver.  It didn''t seem to work.  Or maybe it worked enough to connect me to Warpaint but not enough to preserve myself within it.


    As the information from my okulus was uploaded to my father''s computer, he bent over the table and the square crystal.  He fiddled with the wires that came out of it. He opened up Warpaint and fiddled with the wires inside Warpaint.


    "I just don''t understand why this didn''t work," he muttered.  "Maybe I need to make the pull stronger." He worked on the wires inside Warpaint and then reconnected the Laumalie preserver.  He closed Warpaint.  "This will work. It has to."Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    I had always thought my father - was he my father?  The thought disturbed me greatly. Did I even have a father?  And what was my mother then? The ship''s computer? I still remembered growing up with them.  I felt the love for them.


    I still had Vai''s memories.  I still had emotion. Even if Kapo Ma''amaloa wasn''t physically my father - which he might be since I had the same genes even though I was a clone - he still created me.  I would believe he was my father.


    I always thought my father was strong, but seeing him pour desperately over  the Laumalie preserver, my memories, my new body - seeing how he had placed my mother as the ship''s computer - I wasn''t sure he was actually sane anymore.


    There was a knock on the outer door.  My father got up from his seat and went out into the living room.  Warpaint followed him. My father was careful to make sure his bedroom door was closed before he opened the front door.


    Dr. Rags stood in the hallway with a medical kit.  "I''m here to tend to Vai''s wounds."


    He tried to step passed my father, but my father was a very large man and Dr. Rags was a small Starwatcher.


    "Did Captain Axa command you to come?" my father asked.


    Dr. Rags frowned.


    "Then no," my father said.  "I am tending to Vai myself.  He will be back to his old self in a few days."  My father closed the door.


    How could I be my old self when I was stuck inside Warpaint?  I had to figure out how to get from Warpaint to my new body. When we were back in my father''s room, I called on the green light and tried to separate myself from Warpaint again.  I tried to lift up and out towards the body. I did stretch a little - like taffy, but then I was sprung back inside Warpaint''s head.


    My father connected the independent computer terminal to the cylinder with my body.  He stretched his long arms above his head. "It will work again," he whispered. "It has to."


    What if it did work and there was a new Vai walking around with my memories?  What would become of me?


    "It is late, sir," Warpaint said.  "You should rest. Uploading the memories into the new body will take time anyway."


    "Don''t worry, son," my father said to the new body.  "Everything will be okay. You''ll be okay. You are my son."


    That didn''t work.  I was extremely worried.  And I wasn''t in that body.


    "Go ahead and incinerate this body," my father said to Warpaint.  He touched one of my shredded arms, but didn''t look at my body. "We can''t leave evidence of two Vais."


    "Yes, sir."  Warpaint picked up my dead body and placed it inside himself.  I couldn''t feel the heat or smell the ash, but I could process it internally as Warpaint did.  "Clean out the ash, Vai," Warpaint said. Did he know I was still here? "Sorry, sir," Warpaint said to my father.  "Habit."


    My father had pulled out a large pack.  He nodded. "It''s all right. You should be able to say it to him again soon.  Although, I don''t know why you just didn''t use your self cleaning program."


    He pulled out a sleeping bag.  He spread it out under the table and crawled inside.


    "I don''t know why I never used my self cleaning program before either, sir," Warpaint said.  Something whirled inside him. I could tell - only because of my weird connection with his internal mind - that the ash was cleaned out.  He smiled.


    Do you have emotions, Warpaint?  Are you more than programming?


    He didn''t answer.


    It was strange to see my father sleep.  He was peaceful, calm. He wasn''t his normal intimidating self.  Warpaint grew still as he recharged himself.


    I couldn''t sleep.  I wasn''t tired. I didn''t have a body to make me tired.  I looked at Warpaint''s internal clock when there was another knock on the outer door.  It was 1:37 a.m.


    My father came awake quickly.  Warpaint moved with him when he went to the door.  My father didn''t seem surprised to see El standing at the door.


    She looked down at the corridor floor.  "I''m sorry," she said quietly. "I couldn''t protect him."


    "I trusted you," my father said.  "You were the only one I would trust so completely with my son."


    I thought I saw moisture in her eyes, but the next moment it was gone, so maybe it was just the gleam of the light.


    "What should I tell my son and his friends?" El asked.


    "Tell them, Vai will be ready to see them in a few days.  Until then, he needs complete rest. They shouldn''t disturb him."


    El nodded.  "You know everything now?  About the light?"


    "Yes.  You shouldn''t have kept it from me."


    "You would have hidden him away.  He was strong."


    "No one even knew what his light did," my father said.  "Why would you think he was strong? Because he could spar with you and the others?  You should have told me. If you had, he would still be...He''ll be fine in a few days."


    "Will his new body have the light?"


    So, she knew this entire time that I was a clone.


    "I''m not sure.   I don''t think so.  My son needs to be protected, El.  He is important."


    "Yes," she said.


    "I will let him go back to his friends when he wakes if he wishes to, but don''t put him in anymore danger.  I will help you with the miasmids the best I can. You know that. I''ve proven that in the past."


    "Yes."


    "Then goodbye, El.  I need my rest."


    "Yes."


    The door closed between them.

 Chapter 21 .

    Shel


    I looked out the small window in my bedroom.  The stars streaked by as we jumped through F.T.L.  Owen mumbled something about Vai in his sleep. He rolled over on my bed.  If I had been in it, his foot would have kicked me. He didn''t want to be alone when we were unsure of what happened with Vai so I let him sleep in my room.


    Vai.  From the way my mother reacted, I was pretty sure Vai was dead or very seriously injured.  The way Warpaint and Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa refused to let Commander Ragear tend to Vai made me think more that Vai was dead than injured.  All of our training couldn''t protect us in that moment. We needed more of us to ever stand a chance against the Corruption. He even had his shield up and they tore through it like it was nothing.  Lieutenant Tanpo''s shield held them at bay, but the Awakened One indicated her shield was special. The rest of ours would be like Vai''s.


    Vai.  I swallowed away the hard lump in my throat.  I still hoped that he was alive somehow. That hope was the only thing keeping me from despair at the loss of a friend.  A friend who was becoming family.


    The bedroom door opened.  I didn''t need the light on to recognize my mother''s form.  She waved me to follow her. I followed her through the living room and out into the corridor.  We didn''t go to the elevators. Instead we meandered through the corridors. She finally stopped in a quiet corner.


    "Vai will be fine in a few days," she said.


    Relief washed through me.  I managed to keep my expression stoic - as was my mother - but my legs suddenly felt weak with the release of the tension I had been holding onto.


    "How?  I thought he was dead or severely injured.  Did Commander Ragear tend to him?" The lights in the corridor were dim as most everyone was supposed to be asleep.


    "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa is more than capable of taking care of his son."


    That seemed a little odd, but I let it pass.  "Does the Lieutenant Commander know about everything?  The light and the Corruption and Esther?"


    "Yes."


    "Then he probably won''t let Vai out again."  I almost added especially since my mother couldn''t protect Vai from the Corruption.  I stopped myself before I said it though. My mom was tough in a lot of ways, but I knew she held herself responsible for what happened to Vai.  It hurt her even though she wouldn''t show it. It wasn''t her fault. It was something none of us - even the Awakened One - could have expected.


    "He said Vai could see his friends.  I imagine he will still spar with us if he can, but he won''t have anything more to do with the Corruption."


    I nodded.  Our friendship wasn''t based on the Corruption.  I couldn''t imagine Vai would like being left out though.  We''d have to come up with something to include him. Maybe we could all watch some of the Starwatcher shows Minmin raved about.  I didn''t look forward to it. The show she liked best was Waters Reaching. She thought it was terrifying, but water wasn''t scary for Bundu-Jos.  I had a hunch the real reason she liked it was because of the actor Bars. She had shown me vids of him. She had a strange smile and far away look in her eyes whenever she spoke of him.  Apparently she was an official member of his fan club. I didn''t get it. He just looked like a Starwatcher with cinnamon fur to me. I couldn''t figure out what was special about him. But maybe Vai would like the show and it would be something we could still all do together instead of fighting the Corruption.


    "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa did offer his services against the Corruption instead," my mom said.


    The Lieutenant Commander was a mysterious man with a lot of secrets and a lot of knowledge.  I knew he had worked with my mom before against the Corruption. I was glad to have his help, but preferred Vai''s.


    "Should we open the light in him?" I asked.


    My mother hesitated which was something I hadn''t expected.  I couldn''t fathom why anyone wouldn''t want the light knowing it kept out the Corruption.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "I''ll offer," she finally said.  "But Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa is a man of science and I don''t think the light will be easily explained by our science.  It is so different for each of us. How can I explain that I can cut with my light, Minmin''s is electricity, Owen''s is fire. None of them seem connected yet they all must be through the light."


    "And who knows what Vai''s light is capable of," I said.  "Well, the Awakened One seemed to indicate he knew, but was cryptic about it."


    "I have a feeling," my mom said, "based on what the Awakened One indicated, that Vai''s might be something defensive like Lieutenant Tanpo''s."


    I nodded.  That was something that had crossed my mind.


    "Vai might not . . ."  My mom stopped and breathed out low.  "It''s possible he might not have the light.  He went through something traumatic and might not be quite the same."


    "Why wouldn''t he have the light?  He was just injured right?"


    She didn''t answer.


    "Mom, you said he would be fine in a few days."


    Her hand reached up to rub the back of her blue neck.


    "Mom."


    "I specialized in fighting and in secrets," she finally said, "but this secret is not mine to share.  Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa has and will do anything for his son no matter how unconventional."


    A strange knot started to form in my chest.  Something about all of this felt off. "Mom. Was Vai dead?"


    She swallowed.  "He''ll be fine in a few days."  She walked back to our quarters leaving me to stand in the quiet, dim corridor with that strange knot growing.


    I followed her back.  The lights were on in the living quarters.  Esther and Minmin sat on the gray couch clearly waiting for us.


    "No secrets," Minmin said.  "Tell us what''s happening."


    "I''ll go get Owen," I said.


    "I''ll call Lieutenant Tanpo so I only have to explain once," my mom said.


    My bedroom door slid open.  It was dark inside. Owen''s small form turned away from me on the bed.  I couldn''t tell if he was still asleep. I walked over and sat on the bed.


    "Owen."  I shook his shoulder.


    He turned to me.  Even in the dark I could see the moisture in his eyes and on his cheeks.


    "He''s dead, isn''t he?" he whispered.


    "My mom said he will be fine in a few days."


    Relief washed over Owen''s face and a grand smile touched his lips.  He wiped away the tears on his cheeks. "I knew it," he said with his usual bravado.  "Vai wouldn''t go out that easily. Warpaint wouldn''t let that happen."


    I smiled and ignored the tightness in my chest.  "Of course. Get up. My mom will speak to everyone."


    Owen nodded still with that large smile.  He bounced off the bed and walked happily into the living quarters.


    I let out a sigh.  My legs felt like lead - my feet like stones - as I followed him.


    Lieutenant Tanpo was projected through my mom''s Volo.


    "Good, we''re all here," my mom said with a comforting smile.  Something I rarely saw on her. It made me think even more that something was wrong.  The others wouldn''t know her well enough to know that.


    Owen went and sat next to Esther on the couch.  I sat on the arm of the couch next to Minmin. My mom stood in front of us.


    "I went and spoke with Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa tonight.  Vai will be rejoining us in a few days."


    Everyone smiled.  Minmin''s smile faded slightly as she looked up at me.  I didn''t know what expression I had on my face, but I changed it to a smile.  Minmin''s smile faded further. I really couldn''t hide anything from her.


    "The Lieutenant Commander will let Vai come around to be with his friends, but he can''t be involved with the Corruption any more."


    "Vai''s not going to like that," Owen said.


    "No, I suspect not," my mom said.  "But we will all comply with Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa.  He - in exchange - will help us with the Corruption. He knows a great deal about Aether fields and Aether shields.  He should be of great help. Vai will need his rest the next few days so no one is to contact him or try to visit him.  Let''s all just be grateful that this didn''t turn out to be something worse. Lieutenant Tanpo, your shield is our primary defense now.  Strengthen it. Learn all you can about it. This was a terrible lesson about how inadequate we all are right now. We need to be stronger.  Esther, try to reach the Awakened One. I will do my best to arrange it so that we can meet him again."


    Lieutenant Tanpo and Esther nodded.


    "I think we can all sleep easier tonight knowing that Vai will be fine.  Let''s go to bed." She ended the call with Lieutenant Tanpo. She waved us all to our respective rooms.  She got out a blanket for herself. She had been sleeping on the couch and letting Minmin and Esther share her room.  Esther and Owen stood up and hugged each other.


    "He''s going to be fine," Owen said.  His voice was relaxed.


    "Yes," Esther said as she pulled away from the hug.  "It''s such a relief. I thought I had brought him into this just to have him killed."


    "No, no, my friend."  Owen walked to my bedroom.  Esther walked to hers. "Everything is fine."  They both entered their respective rooms.


    Minmin took my hand in hers and squeezed slightly.  Her eyes did not show the same relief as Owen''s and Esther''s.  I squeezed back, but knew I couldn''t lie to her and tell her I thought everything was fine.  I almost called her little sister, but remembered the last - and only - time I had done that she had fervently reminded me I was only five days older than her.


    "Go to sleep," I said.  "I''ll see you in the morning."


    "Goodnight, brother," she said.


    "Goodnight, sister."


    I let go of her hand and went into my room.  Owen was already asleep on my bed. He no longer tossed and turned.  I crawled into the empty space on the bed and turned away from him.


    I didn''t sleep.

 Chapter 22 .

    Minmin


    Vai was in his seat when I logged onto the school program.  It had been days since we''d seen him. He looked good, but of course he would in the ansible.  It wasn''t necessarily a reflection of his true self. Neither Shel nor Owen had arrived yet. Spencer sat in the back watching Vai, but neither of them interacted with each other.


    "Vai."  I sat in my seat next to Vai''s.  "We were so worried. Even after we heard that you''d return in a few days, there was part of us that still worried."


    "I''m fine," Vai said.


    Shel logged in at that moment - noticed me and Vai and sat backwards in his seat so he faced both of us.


    "What happened?" Shel asked.  "We were worried that you were dead."


    "Because of him none of us could go planetside," Mark said.  "And because of your mother." He directed this at Shel. "What makes her so special anyway to request a special trip with just you."


    Owen logged in just in time to hear Mark''s sentence.  "Now, now, friends. None of that matters unless you want to take it up with a Jo-Dinun."  Mark turned away from us. Viko put a hand on Mark''s shoulder. They spoke together quietly.  They tried to involve Spencer, but he ignored them. He hadn''t been the same since his mother disappeared.  I had never been there, but I knew the Starrise had reopened. Spencer worked there everyday after school. I heard one of the managers ran the Starrise now, but that any profits that would have gone to Adi now went to Spencer.  It was generally thought that until Adi was found - which no one really thought likely at this point - Spencer was the temporary owner of Starrise.


    I missed my parents.  I tried not to think about it too often because when I did the sadness threatened to swallow up my existence.  When we joined this latest Gathering exploration, I would never have imagined that one of my parents - let alone both of my parents would be taken from me.  The Corruption had them both now and there was nothing I could do about it. I used my okulus to call up an image of Bars that only I could see. I knew it was silly, but watching interviews of Bars or Waters Reaching or his interactions with his fans let me forget temporarily about the loss of my parents.


    I went through my normal fantasy which was meeting Bars on our homeworld, Minidtin.  Somehow our fight with the Corruption would take us there and I would somehow - miraculously - meet Bars.  I would open the light in him and he would join us in our fight. All the Starwatchers would join us in our fight, but it would be because they followed his example.


    I knew his public persona might be fake.  He was a great actor, but I didn''t think it was fake.  I thought all those little things he did for his fans - like telling the other fans to step back so he could help the one fan that fell, or providing beverages to all those waiting to see him in the hot sun - were real.  I thought his wise, kind words in interviews were real. I needed to believe that at the moment because if my parents and Bars were taken from me, I might have a melt down.


    "My friend," Owen said to Vai, "how we have missed you."  He clapped a hand on Vai''s back.


    Vai smiled.  "I''m fine," he said.  "I don''t really know much except I was unconscious.  My father took care of me."


    "Warpaint must have been going stir crazy not being able to have anything to do while you just stayed in bed.  Next time tell him, friend, that he can come find me and be my temporary bodyguard until you''re back on your feet."


    "I hope there won''t be a next time," Vai said.


    Owen''s face grew serious.  "Me too."


    Teacher Miller came into the room and started class.


    Mark interrupted her.  "Teacher Miller, don''t you think it''s strange that most of the weird incidents lately have revolved around them."  He waved a hand in our direction. "Like when Owen was arrested when that first person went missing. And then it came to light that he had smuggled onboard illegal goods."


    "It was only chocolate," I said.


    He didn''t look at me as he kept going.  "And then there was that incident on Brist again involving that group.  And then on Mazax VIII they started a fight."


    "We didn''t start that fight," Owen said in a tone that indicated he was clearly wronged.


    "All four of them were on the only two ships where people went missing," Mark went on ignoring us.  "And then Shel''s mother got special permission to take them to who knows where on Doussix only for Vai to come back injured and the rest of us were prohibited to go down to the mines.  If it wasn''t for Shel''s mother-"


    Shel stood up.


    The room - even though it was a fake room in the ansible - grew very quiet.  Viko nudged Mark''s arm to indicate he went too far. Mark tried to meet Shel''s eyes, but ended up looking at his wooden desk.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Sit down, Shel," Teacher Miller said.


    He turned his deadly stare to her.  She swallowed and looked down pretending to pick lint off her fake ansible clothes that were of course immaculate.


    Shel turned to me.  There was such hatred and anger in his eyes that even though I knew it wasn''t directed at me, I still felt uncomfortable.  I knew without words that he couldn''t stay there and remain calm. He logged out of the program. He wouldn''t logout of the ansible completely.  He would go to his sanctuary.


    Teacher Miller went on with class as if nothing had happened.


    "Can you come over and spar?" I asked Vai when class ended.


    He nodded.  "I''m not restricted to my quarters any longer.  It will be good to get out. I need to get my muscles moving."


    "Great, my friend," Owen said.  "I''ll meet you at the elevators."


    The two of them logged out at the same time.  Mark and Viko were heading our way, but stopped when they saw only I was left.  The other students were mostly logged out now.


    I stood up and grabbed my desk with one hand.


    "Mark," I said, "catch."


    I threw the desk at him.  He put his arms up in front of him to block the rapidly approaching desk.  When it was clear he wasn''t going to catch it, the program interfered so it didn''t actually hit him.  It''s what I expected, but I reveled in that moment of his fear when he forgot about the program. I smiled at him as I pictured myself ripping out his bloody guts and strewing them all over the room as decoration.


    He swallowed hard and logged off.  I logged off as well and took the okulus off my head.  I reshaped it to fit around my wrist. I hummed lightly as I jumped off the bed and exited the bedroom.  Esther and Shel rearranged the furniture in the living room so we would have room to spar.


    "How was the rest of class?" Shel asked.


    I shrugged.  "Nothing we didn''t already know," I said.


    "I figured," he replied.  "I''m going to stop going to school.  I''m going to take the accelerated test to graduate early."


    "Should I do that as well?"  I moved the last of the chairs out of the way.


    "If you want," Shel said.


    "Maybe," I replied, "but Owen and Vai might be lost if both of us were gone.  I think I''ll stay."


    "That''s true," Shel said.


    "At least you can make a decision about schooling," Esther said quietly.  Honestly, I had forgotten she was there. "I need to keep hidden."


    "Do you though?" Shel asked.  We both looked at him. Esther''s eyes were filled with a hesitant hope.  I think she had convinced herself that she would have to remain in hiding her entire life.


    "You only need to hide from the Corruption, but you are with us now," Shel said.  "I''m sure my mom can figure something out. Maybe even make you part of our family somehow."


    Esther''s face lit up with a hope and brightness I had never expected to see on her face.  "Your mom could be my adopted mom? You could be my adopted brother?" She threw her arms around him in a tight hug.  He stiffened and looked to me for help. I shrugged my shoulders.


    "This is something I never expected," she said.  She withdrew her arms from him, but she wasn''t done hugging.  She wrapped her arms around me instead. I reached up to pat her on the back.


    "I don''t know that adoption is quite possible," Shel said.  Esther put her arms back to her side and took a step away from me.  She smiled, but a lot of the hope that had been in her eyes had left.  "I mean," Shel said, "of course my mom would like to adopt you, but she''s not widowed.  She is still married to my dad. Who is missing and has the Corruption inside him. In order to adopt, his signature and consent would also have to be on the documents."


    "Of course," Esther said quietly.  "I got ahead of myself."


    "I would like to have a little sister," he said.


    Esther smiled genuine this time.


    "And just because adoption isn''t an option at this time," Shel continued, "that doesn''t mean we don''t have options.  You could be my foster sister."


    Esther''s smile widened and she hugged him again.  This time he returned the hug, but more out of a sense of duty.  Esther took a step back. "But how would we explain my sudden appearance?  There are already rumors on the Shadow of a mystery girl connected with the missing people."


    "My mom and Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa can figure out the details," Shel said.  "I don''t think it will be a problem."


    "We can say you were always on the Armstar with us," I offered.


    "Really?  Could this really all happen?"


    Shel and I both nodded.


    A high pitched squeal escaped Esther and she clasped her hands together over her heart.  I never thought I would hear such a happy sound from her.


    There was a knock at the door.  Before Shel or I could react, Esther ran to the door.  As soon as the door slid open she threw one arm around Vai and the other around Owen.  Warpaint stood behind Vai. He moved an arm as if he was going to interfere, but when he saw it was a hug, he let it go.


    "Shel said I could be his foster sister."  There was no hiding the happiness in her voice.  Owen and Vai returned her hug turning it into a weird three person mishmash.  Vai''s eyes met Shel''s.


    Shel shrugged.  "I''m sure between your father and my mom, they can work it out."


    Esther pulled away from the hug.  "I can go to school with you," she said to them.


    "That would be great, my friend," Owen said.


    I didn''t think anyone else in the room - including Esther and Owen - realized that Esther and Owen held hands.  Her hand slipped away from his as she almost skipped back towards me.


    "I wouldn''t have to hide anymore," she said.  "We could go out and buy new clothes. There is a taylor shop on the third level."


    I looked down at the red shirt I wore.  "I would like something new. Maybe something blue."  She took both of my hands in hers in excitement.


    "And I''d like a new cloak," Esther said.  "Maybe something flashy and yellow instead of this drab one."  She let go of my hands and held onto her cloak for emphasis.


    "And I could get a pretty cape," I said.  "Honestly, when the Awakened One chastised me for wearing clothes I didn''t know what to say.  I like wearing clothes. They are pretty."


    "They are pretty," Esther said.


    "They are, friends," Owen said.  I wasn''t sure when he had moved to stand so close to us.


    "Such excitement," El said from the doorway.  Lieutenant Tanpo followed her into the room.


    Esther''s expression grew serious.  It was one thing to talk about and fantasize about being family.  El had a way of bringing back reality.


    "What are you talking about?" El asked.


    There was a moment of silence before Shel said, "I suggested maybe you and Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa could figure out a way to make Esther my foster sister."


    El immediately smiled.  "Honestly, I have the documents already prepared, but I couldn''t bring it up.  I thought maybe you wouldn''t like it, Esther."


    "Like it?  I love it. Is it really possible?"


    "Of course.  I''ll take care of it."  She placed a hand on Vai''s shoulder.  "It''s good to see you Vai. Are you ready to spar?"


    "Ready," Vai said.

 Chapter 23 .

    Owen


    I paired off with Esther to spar.  It wasn''t on purpose, but Shel ended up with Minmin again and Vai with Lieutenant Tanpo.  It was the same as when we were planetside.


    "Is Vai going to be okay to spar?" Esther whispered to me as we made our way to an empty spot in the living room.


    "Of course, my friend," I said.  "His dad wouldn''t allow him here if he didn''t think he could handle it."


    "That''s true," she said.  A shield of pink light enveloped her.  "Shall we start."


    I didn''t answer, but I tried to rush her and grapple her.  She jumped, using the light to enhance her maneuvering, bent forward and placed her hand on my shoulders and bounced off to land gently on her feet behind me.  If I had been as tall as Vai, that move would have been impossible in such tight quarters. She would have smashed into the ceiling. But I was nowhere near Vai''s height.


    And there was something else that I tried to ignore, but as time passed it was harder and harder to ignore.  I was improving in my fighting skills, but I hadn''t been trained by a Jo-Dinun like Shel. I didn''t have the natural agility and jump ability that Minmin had - and I was sure she had been trained as well in the Starwatcher''s natural martial arts, but she had never discussed it.  Vai had been boxing for awhile. Esther had been trained by the old Awakened One before she ever left the Lion of Judah Research Station.


    I didn''t have any of their skills.  I was good at making deals. I was good at smuggling.  I was good at lying. I missed my chocolate. None of these things helped me against the Corruption.


    I had practiced a bit with Vai before we met Esther and knew about the light and the Corruption, but I was sure he had gone easy on me before.


    I glanced at him.  He was in his boxing stance, fists up, his feet bounced lightly.  He blocked Lieutenant Tanpo''s fist. He tried to punch her, but she sidestepped.  Vai immediately punched with his other fist. Tanpo couldn''t sidestep fast enough, but she did manage to block it.  She tried to knee him, but he blocked that with a fist and stepped back. Warpaint watched them. To my disappointment, the mechatronic never once looked in my direction.  He truly was programmed to only care for Vai. I wanted my own mechatronic. Maybe I had enough in my savings for one. I should look into it.


    El watched us all from a distance.  Evaluating our moves.


    My shirt tugged behind at the neck as Esther grabbed me and dragged me to the floor.  Her face was suddenly above mine.


    "Pay attention," she said.


    "I''ll pay attention to you anytime, friend," I said.


    Her smile was partially crooked.  "Prove it," she said. She extended a hand to help me back to my feet.


    I took it and let the warmth spread down my arm as I stood up.  Minmin flew passed us. She landed on her feet and with a scowl on her furry face rushed back to Shel.  She jumped high and tried to kick directly at his face, but he blocked it by forming an x in front of his face with his arms.


    Esther''s long finger touched my forehead.  "Pay attention to me," she said.


    "Got it," I said.  I remembered what the Awakened One said about sparring with our shields up and as I looked around, I realized I was the only one who didn''t have his up.  Well, except Vai. We had been warned he probably wouldn''t have his light. I couldn''t fathom why he wouldn''t.


    From then on, my focus was only on Esther.  She mostly attacked and I mostly blocked, or tried to.  There were some fists and feet that got through, but my light shield blocked what I missed so I wasn''t hurt.  I did get a few kicks in, but she always blocked those. Everything was a period of learning even if I wasn''t as good as the others.  I didn''t need to necessarily beat them. I only needed to beat the Corruption and those that had the Corruption inside them.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    The fire came to my fingertips just as Esther''s fist came at my face.  I caught her wrist and my fire burned at her shield.


    There was a loud bang from within the room and the floor vibrated slightly.


    "Easy, Vai," El said.


    I couldn''t help but look, but so did Esther so I didn''t need to worry about her throwing me to the floor again.  Vai had Lieutenant Tanpo planted face first on the floor. His hand was still on the back of her head. Warpaint only moved to stand next to Vai when he saw that El was making her way over to them.


    El grabbed the back of Vai''s wrist, but his arm didn''t budge.  "Let her up, Vai," El said.


    Vai looked at her a moment.  His eyes seemed blank. I didn''t understand.  Then he blinked and removed his hand.


    Tanpo sat up.  Red blood dripped from her nose.  She dabbed at it with a finger and sighed.  It was more a sigh of frustration that she let Vai get the better of her than anything else.


    Minmin rushed to the Lieutenant''s side and helped her up.  "Are you all right? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"


    "It''s all right." Tanpo dismissed it easily.  "It''s just a bloody nose. It''s not the first time."  She looked at Vai. "You''ve been holding out in our past sparring matches."


    He paused.  "I guess I have," he said.


    She put a hand on his shoulder.  "I''m glad you''re not anymore. Don''t hold back."


    "Let''s stop for the day," El said.  "We can do more tomorrow." She put a hand on Vai''s shoulder and guided him to the door.  "Don''t push yourself too far too fast."


    Vai nodded and walked out the door with Warpaint at his side.


    "Wait up, friend," I said.  "I''ll go with you."


    I waved to the others and scrambled to catch up to Vai, but as the door slid shut behind me I heard Tanpo say, "He''s stronger than I thought to not only get by me, but my shield too."


    I didn''t think Vai heard, but if he did, he pretended he didn''t.


    "You''ve been holding back this entire time you''ve sparred?" I asked.  "I knew you were holding back with me, but I thought you were serious with the others."


    "I thought I was too," Vai said, "but I guess I wasn''t.  I guess being almost dead changed my outlook."


    I nodded.  "I''m glad you''re not dead, friend.  I don''t think I could have coped with that."


    "Haven''t you lost anyone dear to you before?" Vai asked.  The three of us made it to the elevators. We waited for one of the elevator doors to open.


    "No," I said.  "You and the others are the closest friends I''ve ever had.  I usually only meet people if they can help me with my own plans."


    "Have K''thaktra always been on the Shadow?"


    "What?"  That seemed like an odd turn to the conversation.  Vai wasn''t looking towards the elevators, but down the right corridor.  I turned my head to see what he was looking at. A tall, red K''thaktra entered one of the quarters.


    "Yes," I said.  "There have always been K''thaktra on the Shadow.  Why wouldn''t there be?  They are part of the Gathering."


    The elevator door opened and we stepped inside.  "I just never noticed them before," Vai said.


    "Well, they''ve been here.  Since that one is on the same level as Shel and Minmin though, I''d assume he came here from the Armstar or Fallfrost."


    "But there are others that have been here on the Shadow all along?"  Vai asked. I nodded.


    The elevator doors opened and we stepped out on our level.


    "I guess I knew that," Vai said, "It just didn''t dawn on me before."


    "It''s not really a big deal," I said.  "They''ve been part of the Gathering long before you or I were born."


    Vai laughed.  It was a strange laugh like it was filled with pain and irony.


    "What?" I asked.


    Vai shook his head.  "Nothing. It doesn''t matter.  Were any of the K''thaktra on the list El sent us of the Corruption?"


    "No," I said.


    "But she didn''t know everyone on the Shadow who had the Corruption in them did she?"


    "No," I said, "but Vai, your father doesn''t want you to deal with the Corruption anymore.  And hey, normally I''d say forget what your dad wants, but you don''t have your light right now do you?"


    Vai shook his head.  "It''s so frustrating.  I can''t call on it no matter how much I try.  Not that I knew what it did anyway. It was worthless."


    "I don''t think it was worthless, friend," I said.  "I think it was just waiting for a big entrance."


    "Don''t be silly," Vai said, but I wasn''t trying to be silly.  "It doesn''t matter. It''s gone. I''ll see you later." He turned and walked down the corridor towards his quarters.  Warpaint followed him. I stared after them as a sense of unease began to form in my stomach. Warpaint turned to look at me and waved me to go to my quarters.


    I nodded and turned away from them.  I walked slowly down the corridor.  I couldn''t figure out why Vai was suddenly so interested in the K''thaktra on the Shadow.

 Chapter 24 .

    Vai


    Warpaint, can you seriously not hear me?  I''m still here.


    The mechatronic didn''t respond.  He stood faithfully by the bed where the Other Vai looked through my okulus.


    Warpaint!!


    Nothing.


    I used my green light to try and lift out of the mechatronic.  At least this time I got as far as the bedroom door before I was sprung back into the head of Warpaint.


    "Warpaint," Other Vai said.


    "Yes, sir."


    He''s not me.


    "How many K''thaktra are onboard the Shadow?"


    "Thirty-two, sir."


    "Are there any onboard with quarters on this level?"


    "Yes, sir.  There is a young couple in quarters 5102."


    "What are their jobs?"


    Is this really important?  Warpaint, please hear me. That Other Vai isn''t complete.  He is only memories. My computer mom said so.


    I was beginning to feel uneasy about Other Vai''s obsession with K''thaktra.  I remembered the K''thaktran war and how I used to feel about the K''thaktra. I had struggled a lot to befriend Thrissko and to have an open mind about the K''thaktra in the Gathering.


    "The wife works as an engineer in the engine room.  The husband is a nurse in medical."


    "I see."  Other Vai never looked up from the okulus.  "Have either of them broken the law before or been in trouble of some sort."


    "No, sir."


    I lifted up and away from Warpaint''s head and hovered over Other Vai.  He went through old news articles from the K''thaktran war. He stopped on a particularly gruesome image of a zek clouded K''thaktra tearing apart a Starwatcher with the same cream colored fur as Minmin.  I turned away from it. Other Vai didn''t. I reentered Warpaint''s head.


    "What about the other K''thaktra onboard?  Have any of them ever been in trouble with the law or anything close to it?"


    "No, sir."  Being inside Warpaint''s head had allowed me strange, random insights to his inner workings.  Most of the time I couldn''t determine anything, but at the moment I knew Warpaint lied. He lied on purpose as his programming told him that was how to protect Other Vai.


    Other Vai sighed out and reclined on the bed.  He held the okulus in one hand to his side. He stared up at the ceiling.


    "I don''t remember Lieutenant Tanpo being so weak," Other Vai said.


    She isn''t weak.  Just surprised. I never wanted to hurt her.  Jerk.


    Warpaint didn''t say anything.


    My okulus chirped with an incoming call.  The fingers of my spirit self wriggled and tingled as I suddenly - desperately - wanted to physically answer that call.


    Other Vai sat up, reshaped the okulus to fit around his wrist and answered the call.  My dad''s image was projected through my volo.


    "Vai, my son."


    "Father."


    "How was your first day back?  School? Your friends? Did you go spar?"


    He had never shown so much interest with me.  Maybe that wasn''t fair. Looking back on it, I think he had tried when I first woke up - or became a clone.  I was angry with him for putting me to sleep for 79 years and didn''t want anything to do with him.


    "Everything was fine."  I recognized the annoyed tone as one I usually used with my father.  Same inflections and timbre and everything. "I did go spar. I gave Lieutenant Tanpo a bloody nose."


    My father seemed surprised for the briefest of moments.  "Be careful with yourself. You are important to me."


    So important he''d go crazy without his son clones.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "I''m not the one who needs to be careful."  Other Vai stood up. "Lieutenant Tanpo is the one with the bloody nose."


    "Next time she will be more wary.  And you no longer have your light."


    "Isn''t that weird?  Why don''t I have it?"  He opened his palm and stared down at it as I did when I called the green light to it.


    "Your injuries," my dad said.


    "How injured was I that my light is completely closed off to me now?"


    "Don''t worry about that now.  I can take a break. Do you want to meet at the Starrise and have something to eat?"


    Other Vai hesitated.  I assumed he hesitated for the same reasons I would have.  We killed Spencer''s mom - Adi - the owner of Starrise. Would Spencer be there?  Should I not go incase I reminded Spencer that something happened to his mother? Should I go to show my support even though I was partially responsible for what happened to his mother?  Adi Pines had the Corruption inside her. She tried to kill Owen. We would have killed her even if she hadn''t tried to kill Owen.


    "Sure," Other Vai said.  "I guess I need something to do now that I can''t deal with the Corruption anymore."  There was that familiar annoyed tone again. I was beginning to hate it.


    "I''ll meet you there," our father said.  The call ended.


    Other Vai walked from the bedroom, through the living quarters and into the Corridor without saying anything.  Warpaint obediently followed at his side. I followed less obediently as I was still attached to Warpaint''s head.


    Other Vai didn''t make any stops on the way.  He did pause once when a K''thaktra in the Gathering uniform passed him.


    Father was already seated when we arrived.  Other Vai went and sat across from my father at a small table.  He looked around. His eyes stopped briefly on Spencer before settling on my father.


    "Can''t you let me at least sit in on the conversations about the Corruption?"  Other Vai said. "I need to do something."


    "No," my father said in that tone that left most people cowering.


    Other Vai frowned hard at my father.


    A server came to the table.  "Are you ready to order?"


    Other Vai looked through the menu.  "Teriyaki Chicken," he said.


    I want steak and potatoes.  Weird how I had a craving even though I didn''t have a body.


    "Steak and potatoes," my father said.


    Strange.  Was it really my craving or had I picked up on my father''s craving somehow?  Or maybe he had picked up on my craving. Or maybe it was purely coincidence.


    It didn''t take long for the food to arrive.  I couldn''t even smell it. I wanted to be able to smell it.  I could imagine the smell. I wanted to eat.


    Spencer kept glancing at the table as he came and went from the kitchen and served other tables.  My father and Other Vai didn''t talk as they ate their food. I couldn''t remember if I had been so silent with my dad last time we came here together.  I mostly remembered the shock of seeing the pink in Adi''s eyes.


    Adi''s disappearance hadn''t slowed down business.  If anything, there were more people coming in and out than before.  People would pat Spencer''s arm comfortingly. He always smiled and thanked them, but when he turned away from them, his expression would become blank.


    When Other Vai and my dad had finished their meal, Spencer brought to their table peach cobbler.  "On the house," he said.


    "It looks delicious," my father said.  "But I must insist that it be included in the bill."


    "No," Spencer said.  He glanced at Other Vai.  "It''s on the house. Out of all the words of comfort people have tried to give me, Vai''s words were the ones that worked the most.  He was the most honest with me."


    Words of comfort?  I hadn''t said much to him - that I was sorry and I warned him to stay away from anyone with a pink glint in their eyes.


    My father looked at Other Vai in surprise.  Other Vai seemed surprised too.


    "We''ve had our disagreements," Spencer went on, "but I wanted to thank you for that moment.  I hope we can put our disagreements behind us."


    Of course.


    "Of course," Other Vai echoed my words.


    "I''m going to take the accelerated test and graduate early," Spencer said.


    "But school is important," my father said.  "There are many things to learn."


    Spencer half smiled.  "I can learn without being in school."  He looked back towards the kitchen. "I like running this place and it''s doing well."  He turned back to my father. "I don''t think my mother is alive. School seems pointless.  Especially when I already have a business it seems I''m good at running.   I will eventually take courses on management, accounting, cooking, anything I think will help me run this place.  Just not right away."


    "Well," my father said, "of course it is your decision.  I just hope it''s the right one for you."


    Spencer nodded.  "It is." He patted the table next to the peach cobbler.  "Enjoy it. We won''t have fresh peaches for long. They are running out fast."


    My father took a bite.  He nodded. "It is delicious," he said to Spencer.


    Other Vai took a bite too.  "It really is."


    "Thank you," Spencer said.


    He started to walk away, but my father asked, "How much supply do you have left?  In general?"


    "Some things will run out this week.  Probably the peaches and apples. The chocolate is already gone.  I kind of wish now that Owen hadn''t been caught smuggling. I could really use that chocolate.  Most of the other food will last for another month or so before we run out."


    "When it''s gone," my father said, "will you have enough profits to restock for the next trip?  Will you be able to continue Starrise?"


    "Yes," Spencer said.  "We won''t be returning to Earth for several more months so I won''t be able to restock on many of the favorites.  I''ve been making a list of foods I can possibly restock on other planets. The food won''t be quite as popular as those from Earth, but it should still be good until we can get back home."


    My father nodded.  "It sounds like you''ve got a good understanding of the business.  I''m glad it''s going well for you."


    Spencer nodded.  He took a step away, but then turned back to my father.  "Have you heard anything about my mother or any of the others that have gone missing?"


    Other Vai tightened.  My father didn''t look at Other Vai as he answered Spencer, "No.  Security seems to have reached a dead end. I think you''re right though.  I don''t think those that disappeared are still alive. If they were, there would be some clue, something left behind."


    Spencer nodded.  He tried to smile, but it didn''t quite work.  He turned and walked away. My father looked at Other Vai.


    Other Vai poked at the peach cobbler.  "You all did what you had to," my father said quietly.  "Those with the miasmids can''t be saved."


    Other Vai took a bite of the cobbler.  My father studied the clone a moment before he also took a bite.  Nothing more was said between them until they parted. Other Vai went back to our quarters and my father went back to his lab.

 Chapter 25 .

    Minmin


    "This one is Bars?" Owen asked.


    I had reshaped my okulus into a wide screen and placed it on the glass table so we could all watch it.  We sat on the couch - Owen to my left and Vai to my right. Warpaint stood by the couch on Vai''s side. Shel and Esther were somewhere behind us.  I knew Shel didn''t have much of an interest in Waters Reaching, but he pretended and I appreciated that.


    Esther suddenly leaned in behind my shoulder between me and Owen.  "He''s the one you like?"


    Like didn''t seem an adequate word.  I couldn''t really explain my true feelings without coming off as an obsessive, weird fan.  "Yes," I simply said. "His character name in the show is Timo."


    "And he''s a detective trying to figure out why Starwatchers keep disappearing around this lake," Owen said.


    "Correct," I said.


    "Is it a serial killer?" Esther hadn''t moved from her new spot - leaning over the back of the couch with her head next to mine.  I wondered if she knew she was putting herself between me and Owen. No one except me had noticed their closeness in general. And I still thought they didn''t even realize it.  Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was just too romantic. I didn''t think I was wrong though.


    "No," I said.  "That wouldn''t be scary."


    "It wouldn''t?" Owen asked.  "Serial killers sound scary to me."


    "They''re not scary," I said.  "You just have to lock them up or kill them."


    "Then why is it a horror show?" Esther asked.


    "So this lake was formed during an unnaturally wet season," I said.


    "In a small farming community," Shel added from somewhere behind.  He had heard me tell this before.


    "Right," I said.  "Hold on, Bars is about to speak."  I paused the show. On the screen, Bars stood in front of the lake talking with two farmers whose children had just disappeared.  An oversized mosquito had frozen nearby them. Tall, green reeds came up to the Starwatchers''s thighs.


    I turned to look over the shoulder that wasn''t currently occupied by Esther.  Shel stood there hovering behind Vai.


    "You know what would be the best gift you could give me," I said to him.


    "I''m not dubbing over Bars''s voice with the voice I used on Sergeant Demir," he said flatly.


    "That wasn''t what I was going to say," I lied.  Except now I didn''t have any other excuses. "I like Bars''s voice."  That wasn''t a lie. I did like his voice, it was just that Shel''s voice he used on Sergeant Demir could melt the stars.


    "So the show is scary because of the unnatural lake?" Esther saved me.


    "Not just the lake.  It''s possessed by an evil water spirit.  It''s taking Starwatchers and drowning them.  Here." I pulled up a new tab and opened it to the first episode of Waters Reaching.  I pushed play at the exact time the water spirit reached up with a large oversized watered hand and grabbed a male Starwatcher farmer.  It pulled him into the lake. The water rippled and bubbled and finally stilled. The stillness caused goosebumps on my arms. "See? Frightening."


    "An imaginary water spirit is more frightening than a serial killer which actually exists?" Owen asked in disbelief.


    "Water spirits are real," I said.


    I turned to Vai just in time to see him and Shel exchange a dismissive glance.


    "They are," I said.  "Look, not too long ago we didn''t know about the Corruption and the Awakened Ones.  They exist. Who knows what else is out there?"


    "That''s true," Owen said.  Esther nodded.


    I turned to Vai and Shel.  They both nodded. I went back to the latest episode - still paused on Bars and the two farmers - when the door opened and El and Lieutenant Tanpo walked in.


    "Esther, how was school today?" El asked.


    It had been a week since the fostering paperwork had been approved and Esther had started attending classes with us.  She didn''t hide her face under her cloak while walking the corridors anymore either. We always made sure either I or Shel were with her to make sure she wouldn''t have to answer any unwanted questions - especially from security.


    "Good."  She finally stood up and backed away from my shoulder.


    "No more questions about your sudden appearance?" El asked.  Mark and Viko in particular had been suspicious. They soon gave up when none of the other students seemed interested and they found out she was Shel''s foster sister.


    "No more questions," Esther said.


    "Sorry, Vai, but we need to have a conversation about the Corruption."


    Vai rolled his eyes as he stood.  I shifted slightly now that Vai''s weight wasn''t on the couch.  Warpaint moved to stand next to Vai. "It''s not your fault. It''s my father''s."  He walked towards the door.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Owen slid off the couch.  "I''ll go with you," he said.


    "It''s all right," Vai said.  "You can stay."


    "No.  I want to go with you.  You don''t need me to stay do you?" Owen asked El.


    "No," El said.  "I mainly need to speak with Esther and Minmin you may leave."


    Me?  Why did she need to speak with me?  I gathered my okulus and reshaped it to fit around my wrist.  I closed the current episode of Waters Reaching. I waved goodbye, but Vai and Owen didn''t turn around as they left followed closely by Warpaint.


    "What is it?" Esther asked when the door had slid shut.


    "Have you tried to reach out to the Awakened  One?" El asked.


    "Not really.  I''ve been so excited about the fostering I haven''t really thought about anything else."


    A soft smile touched El''s blue lips.  "That''s understandable," she said, "but we must get on with our battle against the Corruption.  I tried to reach out to the Awakened One last night, but I couldn''t find him. You''ve had contact with him before.  You should have better luck. Make sure he is safe and hidden. Find out where he is so we can find him again."


    Esther nodded.  "I will reach out to him tonight."


    "Minmin," El said.  I sat a little straighter.  Shel sat on the back of the couch behind me.  "You are the only one who has not killed the Corruption."


    "But Lieutenant Tanpo hasn''t either," I said.


    "She was at least able to push them back with her shield on Doussix," El said.  "Tonight will be your first battle."


    Battle.  She made it sound dramatic.  I just had to kill the host and the Corruption.


    "I''ve gone over my list of those with the Corruption with Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa and I was able to add a few more to my list.  And he has provided me with a crew schedule. There is a maintenance worker who should be working in the maintenance tunnels on deck 9 as we speak.  Go now and kill him. He is a Bundu-Jo. His name is Blerko. Esther, would you lend her the Aether Field Prototype so she can kill the Corruption after she takes care of Blerko?"


    "Of course."  Esther went into our shared quarters.  There was only one large bed that we both shared.  Esther had a habit of hugging me in her sleep. I almost kicked her the first night.  I wasn''t her stuffed animal. But she called out her dead brother''s name in her sleep and then I couldn''t help but feel bad for her.


    "What about the body?" I asked El.  "If Vai isn''t involved anymore, Warpaint can''t burn the bodies."


    "Just get the body back here," El said.  "Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa will be handling all the body disposals from now on."


    Esther came out of our quarters and handed me the Aether Field Prototype.  It was lighter than I had expected.


    "Lieutenant Tanpo will go to be your backup just in case you need help," El said.  "But I think you''ll be able to do it yourself."


    I nodded.  Now was my turn.  I always knew I''d have to contribute like this one day, but I thought I''d have more warning.


    I stood and went to the door.  Lieutenant Tanpo was close behind me.  I turned to look at Shel. His facial expression didn''t change, but I could tell through his eyes that he believed in me.  He raised a blue hand in farewell. I waved goodbye to him and Esther. El had already moved on to something else.


    I exited the door and went to a nearby corridor with a maintenance hatch.  Only the lights greeted us. I put in the code to open the maintenance hatch.  I was a little surprised it was never changed. Of course, security didn''t know that was how Esther used to get around and she had a hacking device so it wouldn''t matter if they hadn''t changed it or not.  I crawled inside. Lieutenant Tanpo crawled in after me.


    We made our way silently to deck 9.  Normally, Lieutenant Tanpo was friendly and I liked to think that I was too.  However, at this moment - killing someone with the Corruption - stealth seemed more in order.


    It didn''t take us too long to find the Bundu-Jo once we reached deck 9.  Light bounced off the walls of the maintenance shaft as he used a vibroscalpel to cauterize a small tear in the metal walls.


    Even though he was busy, I didn''t think I could sneak up on him in such tight quarters.  He was going to notice me before I could kill him. I still held the Aether Field Prototype in my hand.  I hid it in the hood of my new cloak.  I waved Lieutenant Tanpo back. She crawled backwards until she went around the nearest corner and out of sight.  The maintenance shaft wasn''t tall enough for me to stand in without bending over, but I shifted so my feet were first instead of my head.


    "Hi," I said.  I tried to put on my cutest face and hoped this Bundu-Jo would mistake me for a cute innocent little Starwatcher.  I would tell him I used to be on the Armstar and was new on the job.  I hoped my innocent expression would keep him from asking why I wasn''t in uniform.


    He turned and looked at me.  I erred. The Corruption recognized me.  The pink came to his eyes and his blue face twisted in fury.  He rushed at me with his vibroscalpel leading the way. I had an advantage though.  He wasn''t coming at me fast and he didn''t have a lot of room to maneuver in the shaft.  He couldn''t easily turn around for example.


    I kicked at his hand that held the vibroscalpel.  The vibroscalpel turned off as it dropped to the metal ground.  The sound of it pinged off the small walls of the shaft. I kicked the Bundu-Jo''s face at the same time with my other foot.


    His purple eyes closed and red blood dripped from his nose, but he managed to grab my ankle with both of his hands.  He pulled me towards him and blinked his eyes open.


    I kicked him in the shoulder with my other foot.  He had dragged me close to him and his hands let go of my foot to wrap around my neck.  I had seen where the vibroscalpel had fell and was confident he had dragged me not only to him, but to the vibroscalpel.


    The air was quickly cut from my lungs as his large hands tightened around my neck.  I wasn''t going to die. Not like this. Not before I knew what happened to my parents.  And I needed to meet Bars someday.


    I tried to kick him, but he had placed himself above me in such away that my legs were pinned to the metal ground.  I reached up with one hand to try to pry his large hands away. That was really only meant as a distraction as my other hand reached out and grabbed the vibroscalpel.  I was beginning to see spots in my vision. The last scene of Waters Reaching where Bars was speaking with the farmers in front of the lake came to mind.


    I turned on the vibroscalpel and pushed it into the Bundu-Jo''s temple and into his brain.  He fell on top of me. I called on my white light to shield me as the Corruption lifted out of his ears.  I pushed him away as I scrambled out from underneath him. I reached for the Aether Field Prototype only to discover it was no longer in my hood.


    The Corruption surrounded me.  They made small cuts in my light shield, but I was able to close the cuts before any could get in.  I wouldn''t be able to keep that up for long. I tilted my head to look behind me as I scrambled to sit up.  The Aether Field Prototype was there.  Lieutenant Tanpo had come around the corner and was crawling towards me.  Her apricot light surrounded her and she pushed her shield outwards to encompass me.  It pushed the Corruption away from me.


    It allowed me enough time to grab the Aether Field Prototype and switch it on.  I turned it to the Corruption.  They tried to scatter, but they were caught in the aether field and the pink haze fizzled away.  I turned it off.


    "Are you all right?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked.  She looked at my neck. She wouldn''t be able to see the bruising through my fur, but I could feel the marks of the Bundu-Jo''s large hands.


    "The Corruption recognized me," I said.  "The Corruption knows who we are."

 Chapter 26 .

    Vai


    Other Vai sat at a small table in the Museum Delectables. Warpaint - and I - stood by his side. Other Vai played with the ends of a napkin while he waited. I lifted out of Warpaint. I looked around to see if anyone noticed, but no one here had the light. Even when I was around those with the light, they didn''t notice me. I had never been around them when they had been outside their bodies.


    From what El had said earlier, it seemed she had tried to reach out to the Awakened One, but not to me. She didn''t notice I wasn''t inside myself. And why would she? I couldn''t travel far from Warpaint and there was a walking talking Vai. Why would she think I even still existed?


    My spirit self sighed, but of course no one heard. I reentered Warpaint''s head.


    "Hello," the K''thaktra said. He was tall - like Thrissko. He sat across from Other Vai.


    "Hello, Mersk" Other Vai said. Mersk was young. This was his first voyage as an engineer. I still wasn''t sure why Other Vai had reached out to him.


    "I started on a new model after our last conversation," Mersk said. He was still in his Gathering uniform. His large red hands tore the napkin in front of him with nervous energy. "It''s the Remembrance. It''s been sitting in my drawer unopened, but I got inspired after you told me about your model of the Shadow."


    Other Vai smiled with lips that should have belonged to me. "I was a small child when I built it. I''m sure it''s nothing compared to your collection." His dark hand lifted and readjusted his cape - my cape - over his shoulder. I mimicked the action, but felt nothing. There wasn''t flesh or cloth or fingers.


    "I would still like to see it sometime," Mersk said.


    "Maybe," Other Vai said. "I only have the one model and I''d love to see your collection first."


    "Sure," Mersk said. "Right now?"


    "Let''s eat first," Vai said. As if on cue, a waiter came to take their orders.


    Their conversation through dinner was mostly about models. Mersk did ask Other Vai what he was going to study once he finished school - if he was going to be a scientist like our father. I laughed out loud at that one. There was no reality where I saw myself as a scientist. Other Vai did not laugh, but steered the conversation back to models. No one heard me laugh.


    I exited Warpaint and hovered around the restaurant. There was an older human couple in the corner arguing over politics. There was a family of Starwatchers at a larger table all talking about the most recent episode of Waters Reaching. Evidently it was popular with most Starwatchers and not just Minmin. Other Vai had pretended to be interested in Waters Reaching, but as soon as he left Minmin''s side, he dismissed it. How I wished I could sit next to Minmin and take in everything she had to say about it. I wished I could respond to her and ask questions. More than anything I wished she could hear me.


    I hovered over the staff who were arguing about who messed up the order for table 3. I almost reached the kitchen before my tether to Warpaint snapped me back to him.


    Other Vai''s okulus chirped with an incoming call. He saw it was Owen, but didn''t answer it. He muted all incoming calls and messages. "Let''s go see your collection," Other Vai said. He slid his seat away from the table and stood up. He walked towards the exit.


    I drifted out of Warpaint just enough to see Mersk pay and scramble after Other Vai. Mersk didn''t seem to think his new friend was being rude, but I did.


    That''s no way to treat a friend, Other Vai. No one heard me.


    I''m glad you decided to befriend a K''thaktra, but you still have to treat him right. Our father makes a lot more money than Mersk does as a low level engineer. And you were the one who invited him to dinner. You should have paid.


    The two of them were immersed in a conversation about models. Warpaint was silent as he followed a long.


    "I burnt myself with the vibroscalpel," Mersk said. He held out a red, barbed hand to point out the tiny blackened spot on a finger. "It''s been too long since I''ve put together a model."


    "That must have hurt. Why didn''t you go to medical?"


    Mersk shrugged a shoulder. "It''s not that bad."


    And why did you ignore Owen? He''s my best friend. We''ve been through a lot together. You have the memories even if you aren''t me.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    We got on the elevators and went to level 4.


    "This is me," Mersk said at quarters 4053. He opened the door and waved Other Vai and Warpaint in before following. The door shut behind us.


    His quarters were small. There wasn''t a separate room for the bedroom. His bed was set against the right wall just passed the gray couch and a small wooden table. On top of the table were pieces of the Remembrance model and a vibroscalpel.


    "This isn''t my entire collection," Mersk said as he guided Other Vai to a pair of small shelves on top of a dresser. "I left a lot back home - with my parents."


    He had models of different alien ships. There were Starwatcher ships which always reminded me of eggs. There was an older Bundu-Jo ship that kind of looked like an octopus with less arms. There were a few K''thaktran ships, but one in particular I recognized. It had headed the fleet of the K''thaktrans during the war. I never knew what the K''thaktrans called it, but the rest of us called it the Killing Monster. I knew it was the same because even though I couldn''t read K''thaktran, I recognized the K''thaktran lettering on the side of the red, insectoid-like ship to be the same.


    Other Vai lifted the model carefully. He stared at the lettering much as I was. "What does it mean?" Other Vai asked. He had my same memories. He knew exactly what it meant.


    Mersk took the model carefully out of Other Vai''s hands. "It says on the side, Hope."


    They had named their death ship Hope? The ship that had killed thousands upon thousands of Starwatchers, Bundu-Jo and Humans was called Hope.


    "I haven''t researched it to know the significance," Mersk said. "I''m not even sure what part of K''thaktra history it belongs to. I just thought it looked cool."


    Other Vai tried to smile, but it came off looking wrong. "Where did you buy it? It must have been a K''thaktran colony or homeworld."


    "It was on Mazax VII." A K''thaktran colony. Mersk didn''t have a clue of what the Killing Monster was. He didn''t even know it had another name besides Hope. He was just an innocent fool who liked model ships and didn''t have many friends. I liked him.


    Other Vai turned away from the dresser and shelves and walked to the small table.


    "Do you want help building the Remembrance?"


    "Sure." Mersk put the Killing Monster back on the shelf. Other Vai sat on the gray couch next to the table. Mersk sat next to him. Warpaint moved behind the couch to place Other Vai in front of him.


    Other Vai picked up the vibroscalpel and turned it on. "Where would you like me to start?"


    Mersk bent forward over the table and picked up the part of the model he had started. "I had started from the back and was working my way to the . . ."


    Other Vai shoved the vibroscalpel into the back of Mersk''s head.


    No!!!


    I moved into Other Vai. I tried to control his hand to pull out the vibroscalpel. It was futile. I fit over him like a translucent blanket. I couldn''t control anything in this body.


    "No, sir!" Warpaint grabbed Other Vai''s arm and pulled it away from Mersk. It was too late. Mersk slumped over the table dead with the partially built model in his hand.


    I sat in Other Vai''s body and saw his spirit. He was incomplete. There were large pieces missing like an incomplete puzzle. This is wrong. You are wrong. You are not whole.


    Warpaint took the vibroscalpel away from Other Vai like a parent taking away something dangerous from a child. Warpaint looked at dead Mersk. "What have you done, sir?"


    "I killed a potential threat," Other Vai said easily. Many pieces of his spirit were missing - including how to differentiate a threat. I could see the pieces that were there - could see what they meant. I could also see what was missing. He had no real care for my friends. He remembered they were friends. He knew how he was supposed to treat them. He knew how he - or I rather - treated them in the past, but he felt nothing for them.


    Warpaint, he doesn''t understand what he just did was wrong.


    "He wasn''t a threat," Warpaint said. "There was no Corruption inside him. He only wanted to show you his models."


    I liked him. He really could have been a friend. Other Vai, what have you done?


    Other Vai stood to face Warpaint. His fists clenched at his side. "The K''thaktra have proven they can''t be trusted. They''ve proven they are evil. Remember the war? No, you weren''t built then. But you''ve seen vids. The Corruption chose the K''thaktra over the other aliens for a reason. They are more susceptible to the Corruption. They tore us apart with their bare hands surrounded by that zek fog. No K''thaktra can live."


    I wasn''t sure why Other Vai thought that. There was no proof and as far as I knew no mention anywhere that the K''thaktra were more susceptible to the Corruption. There was no accounting as to why the Corruption first chose the K''thaktra. Maybe it was just a matter that the K''thaktra were the closest to the Corruption.


    The green light opened something inside me. I could not only see Other Vai''s spirit, but the internal workings of his body as if he was splayed out in front of me. I could see the blood cells as they rushed through his veins. I could see the electrical impulses run from the brain through the rest of the body. I could see the marrow in his bones. I could see it all. I understood it all. Even as I watched it was broken down further so I could see the molecules.


    It frightened me. I pulled out of Other Vai and settled back into Warpaint.


    He''s crazy, Warpaint. You have to tell my dad. Other Vai can''t be allowed to go around killing innocent K''thaktra.


    "This can''t be allowed, sir," Warpaint said. "I must tell your father."


    Other Vai grabbed the vibroscalpel from Warpaint and put it up to his neck. "Then I''ll kill myself."


    "No, sir. You mustn''t."


    "Then you will keep quiet about this, take care of the body and help me in the future. If you don''t, I''ll kill myself, but you won''t know when and won''t be able to stop me."


    "No, sir. Don''t hurt yourself. I''ll do anything to protect you."


    No, Warpaint. He''s manipulating you like I did occasionally. He''s not going to kill himself. Warpaint, please hear me. Please tell my dad.


    Warpaint picked up Mersk and put him inside him. He turned on his internal fire and burnt Mersk to ashes. Other Vai put the vibroscalpel in his pocket. Warpaint didn''t ask Other Vai to clean out the ashes like he used to ask me. Instead he used his internal cleaning system.


    Other Vai was back at the dresser looking at the other models. He picked up the Killing Monster and put it in his pocket with the vibroscalpel. The other models he left untouched.

 Chapter 27 .

    Esther


    It didn''t take Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa long to show up after Minmin and Lieutenant Tanpo returned with the Bundu-Jo body.  I had just finished putting away the Aether Field Prototype when he showed up.  He pulled something black and cloth-like out from his white lab coat.  He unfolded it on the floor until it was the size of a large blanket.


    "Put him on it," Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa said.  His command wasn''t directed at anyone in particular, but I helped Shel move the body onto it.  The Lieutenant Commander folded the cloth-like device so it completely covered the body. He typed something into his okulus and the device sealed.  A few more types on his okulus and the device let out a sound like hissing steam. The shape of the body inside the device lost its hold. It didn''t take long before there was no shape within the device at all.  Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa picked it up and refolded it. He stuffed it back into his pocket.


    "Were all of the Corruption inside him dealt with?" the Lieutenant Commander asked.


    I tried to relate him to someone - anyone - on the Lion of Judah Research Station, but there hadn''t been anyone like him.  Not even the top leaders had his presence. I was pretty sure after seeing how they had cowered in front of the Awakened One that they would have bent to Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa as well.  I didn''t think Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa would cower in front of an Awakened One.


    "Yes," Minmin said.


    "Good," the Lieutenant Commander said.  "Thank you for keeping Vai out of this. I expect your cooperation on this matter in the future."  Shel turned his head away from the Lieutenant Commander and his mother. His blue eyes rolled up to the ceiling.  I forced myself not to smile. I knew we couldn''t have Vai involved in the Corruption anymore, but I was pretty sure all of us not-quite-adults wanted Vai to still be involved even if he didn''t have the light.


    "Thank you for your help, Lieutenant Commander," El said.


    Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa gave a single nod, but didn''t say anything further as he left.


    "It''s getting late," El said.  "We should all go to bed."


    "I''ll see you fellow warriors tomorrow," Lieutenant Tanpo said.


    We raised our hands in farewell as Lieutenant Tanpo left our quarters.


    El was already retrieving her blanket and spreading it out over the couch.  Shel watched her a moment, then he nodded to me and Minmin before he retreated into his room.


    "Let''s go."  Minmin took my hand in hers.


    "Esther," El said, "don''t forget to reach out to the Awakened One."


    I nodded, but El was already sprawled out on the couch with her eyes closed.


    Minmin and I entered our room.


    "I''ll wash up first," she said.  She left me alone as she went into the bathroom.  The bedroom had a single window that looked out at the darkness of space - the brightness of the stars.  There was a single desk in the corner with a chair. I pulled the chair over to the window. I sat down and watched as the stars streaked as we jumped through F.T.L.  I closed my eyes.


    I concentrated on my pink light and lifted outside of myself.  I floated out the window. A wave of rushed panic tingled through me until I reminded myself space couldn''t hurt me in this form.  My body was safe inside the ship where I was warm and could breathe oxygen freely. The ship continued it''s jumps through F.T.L., but my connection with my body remained the same.


    I had no idea which direction to go.  "Awakened One," I called out. There was no answer.  I went further from the ship. I checked to make sure my light was still connected to my body and then when I went further away from myself.


    "Awakened One."


    I stilled.  I listened. Space held noise.  Hums, clicks, buzzes. I couldn''t hear them with my human ears, but as my light I heard space.  I did not hear the Awakened One.


    The ship jumped further away.  My spirit self went rigid with the sudden panic.  A quick inspection told me I was still connected to my body and I could easily find my way back.


    I went out further.  I tried not to let myself panic out there in the vastness of space - alone.  What if I couldn''t find him? What if none of us were able to find him? What if the Corruption found him first?  What if they already found him?


    "Awakened One."


    I waited.  I listened.  I moved on. "Awakened One."


    "Little One."


    And I saw his gray light rush towards me.


    A small noise - almost a squeak of relief - came from me.  His enormous spirit hands touched mine. There wasn''t warmth when we touched, not physical touch, but all the panic I had felt left me.  I wasn''t alone. I was protected with him there.


    "Are you safe?" I asked.  "Are you hidden?"


    "For the time being," he said.  "Are all of you safe? I mean, except the Little One that died."


    I was reminded again of how different this one was from the other Awakened One.  The other Awakened One had eaten us. This one asked if we were safe. Red anger flowed through me that the other Awakened Ones called him weak.  He was strong and didn''t realize it. But something he said bothered me.


    "Vai?  He didn''t die."


    The Awakened One seemed surprised by this.  His spirit head cocked to one side. "But his heart stopped.  His brain stopped."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "That isn''t possible.  He''s walking and talking and breathing just fine.  You must have been mistaken."


    The Awakened One cocked his large head to the other side.  "His light?"


    I shook my head.  "He was injured so badly that his light isn''t there anymore."


    The Awakened One''s red lips pinched tight.  "Little One, I think your friend is dead."


    "No.  I''m telling you, I saw him myself.  I''ve talked with him. He was injured, but now he''s fine."


    "It doesn''t matter how injured he is, once he has the light it won''t go away."


    "Maybe that''s just for your species," I said.  "Humans must be different."


    The Awakened One let go of my hands and floated slightly backwards.


    "I am not mistaken.  The Little One you named Vai is dead.  The other must be an imposter."


    The Awakened One didn''t make sense, but he sounded so sure of himself that I began to doubt.


    "But he remembers everything before the Corruption attacked him.  He has to be the same."


    "He is not.  Have you tried to reopen the light in him?"


    "No."  It had occurred to me, but El and Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa had been adamant it wouldn''t work.


    "Try," the Awakened One said.  "If you can''t find the light to open, he is an imposter.  I must go. The Corruption search for us. Go now." He gave my shoulder a slight push just before he retreated back the way he came.


    "Wait!  How can we find you?  The physical you?" He sent me an image of unfamiliar constellations and a green planet.  Then he was gone.


    I followed my tether of pink light back to my body.


    "Esther."  A quiet whisper just as I reached the ship, but hadn''t entered it yet.  I paused outside the window where my body sat. I looked around. Chills spread over my spirit self.  It was quiet enough that I couldn''t quite identify it other than it was male. My first thought was that my dead brother''s spirit was trying to find me.


    I floated away from the ship.  "Levi?"


    I always feared that my dead family was out there somewhere as their pink and red spirits.  There was no basis for this fear. I had never felt them - had never seen a trace of their light.  I looked for my little brother''s red light, but there was only space.


    I turned back to the ship and saw Shel''s purple spirit self outside the ship watching me.  I went to him.


    "Did you call me just now?"  I asked.


    "No."


    I looked back at space, but there was no sign of whoever called me.


    "Did you find the Awakened One?" Shel asked.


    "Yes," I said.  I couldn''t help but smile.  Shel was more generous with his smiles than his mother and he smiled now.


    "Good," he said.  "Did he tell you how we can find him?"


    "Not in words.  He sent me an image of constellations and a planet.  I guess I just need to find where that is now."


    Shel nodded.


    "What are you doing?" I asked him.  "I thought you were asleep."


    He shrugged.  "Just stretching my spirit legs."


    "I''m going to go in and sleep," I said to him.


    "Go ahead.  Minmin is already sleeping.  She''s already mentioned Bars twice in her sleep."


    "I don''t think she knows she sleep talks," I said.  "But I''d rather her be mumbling about Bars than her parents."  When she spoke of her parents in her sleep, it reminded me of my family.


    I left him and went back inside my body.  I opened my eyes and looked out at space. I couldn''t see Shel''s spirit self.  I slid into bed next to Minmin. I hugged her because she was soft and comforting.  I thought less of my dead family. I closed my eyes and welcomed the darkness of sleep.


    *


    Vai


    Esther.  I was flung back inside Warpaint.  At least I had made it outside the ship this time.  Long enough to see Esther''s pink spirit floating around out there.  I didn''t know if she heard me. And even if she did hear me, I didn''t think she had seen me before I was pulled back inside.


    I lifted out of Warpaint and out of the ship.  Esther was there, but so was Shel. Esther went inside the ship and out of sight.  I waved my arms at Shel. I didn''t think he saw me before I sprung back inside Warpaint.  I was able to get a little further each time I tried, but it was tiring. Funny how I didn''t have a body anymore, but practicing with the light still made my spirit tired.


    Shel''s purple light entered the room a moment before his spirit self did.


    "Vai?" he said.  He looked down at the sleeping body of Other Vai.


    Shel.  I rushed out of Warpaint and towards Shel''s spirit self.  I had never really seen him surprised before. His spirit self stumbled backwards even though it was floating.


    Listen.  That is not me.  That is Other Vai.  I died.


    Shel recuperated and his spirit self stood straight as he faced my spirit self.  "What do you mean you died? Then who is this?" He waved a spirit arm in Other Vai''s direction.  "Vai, what is happening? Did your light self somehow get separated from your body? Is that why you don''t have the light anymore?"


    I died on Doussix.  The Corruption shredded through me.  Warpaint hid me inside him before any of you could see, but I was dead.  He knew I was dead. He contacted my father and told him I was dead. Well, he said code 0, but obviously that meant dead and my father knew it.  This Other Vai is . . .


    Shel was listening, but from his expression didn''t quite know how to take it all in.  Could I tell him about the clone thing? Then he would know I was a clone too. He waited for me to continue.


    I didn''t see a light or a tunnel when I died.  I didn''t disperse and rejoin nature. I was just there.  And now for some reason, I''m attached to Warpaint. I can''t travel far from him.  It might actually have something to do with the Laumalie preserver. Although that is more in his chest and I''m centered around his head.


    "The what?"


    The Lauma...my father''s invention.  Ok. Look. What I''m going to tell you is probably very highly classified information and I''m not sure how you''re going to take it, but I don''t think I can explain further without saying it so here it is.  My spirit self took a fake breath.  Other Vai there - I pointed to the bed - is a clone.  My father has special permission.  I know it sounds crazy, but it''s more than just a clone.  My father found a way to not only preserve and restore memories in clones, but also their spirit - their essence - or at least enough of their essence so they appear the same.


    Shel looked down at Other Vai.


    My father doesn''t know I''m here though.  He thinks the Laumalie preserver didn''t work and maybe it didn''t.  Or maybe it did and that''s why I''m still here. I just wasn''t in the Laumalie preserver.  There is another clone body in his bedroom in case something happens to this one.


    "Vai, if what you are saying is true, your father has invented something incredible and dangerous.  Can you imagine what people would do if they knew they could just keep living after they died? Just make a clone of themselves and put themselves in it over and over again?  The same government would keep running things for generations. Would there be generations? Would people even have children anymore? And if they did, and they kept recloning themselves too the worlds would be overpopulated.  Only the rich would use this technology. The gap between the rich and the poor would worsen. The . . ."


    Shel.


    He blinked at me.


    It''s top secret right now.  I don''t know how much your mom knows, but she knows this is a clone.  And Shel. I''m not the original Vai either.


    He was surprised again.  Twice in a matter of minutes I got to see his surprised expression.


    My father told me he put me to sleep for 79 years as I had an incurable disease, but I just found out that was a lie.  The original Vai died. I am the only clone where the Laumalie preserver worked enough that I was closest to the original Vai.


    Shel shook his head at the Other Vai''s sleeping form.  "Then what do we do, Vai? You''re dead and there is already a breathing, walking, talking Vai."


    Other Vai is wrong.  He is incomplete. He is only memories.  I saw it in him. There are many patches of his spirit that are just missing.  Shel. He killed a K''thaktra.


    "Our list doesn''t say there are any K''thaktra with the Corruption on board."


    He didn''t have the Corruption.  Other Vai knew that and killed him anyway.


    Shel shook his head.  "If he didn''t have the Corruption, why would this Vai kill him?"


    We have original Vai''s memories.  We both remember the K''thaktran war.  Vividly. I tried to get over it by making friends with Thrissko.  Other Vai decided to kill. We have to stop him. We have to figure out a way for me to take my body back.

 Interlude 7 .

    Thrissko


    A light from above and around the corner lit the area.  Svolun and Igwe - I refused to call them captain and second officer - were across the little walkway from me and Sally.  I looked up in an effort to see the familiar constellations of Mars. I hadn''t thought I would be back here so soon. I couldn''t see the stars.  The light blocked them out.


    "Two guards," Svolun mouthed to me from across the walkway.  I nodded. Svolun released the tiny robot that resembled a flying bug.  It flew lazily towards the light. I tapped Sally on the shoulder to get ready.  She blinked up at me with her big, round eyes. Her tiny hand tightened around the hilt of her knife.


    The light went out.  Sally and I rounded the corner.  I punched the guard on the left with my barbed fist.  He went down quickly. Little red cuts opened on his cheek from my barbs.  Humans were so fragile.


    I opened the little box that held the diamond transporter.  A small wave of pink, shimmering miasmids came through. They entered the unconscious guard.  His body went stiff and he began to scream. I turned to Sally to see if she needed help, but her guard was also out.  More miasmids entered the second guard. Screams echoed all around the government storage facility.


    "Let''s go."  Svolun and Igwe already had the storage door open.  They didn''t wait for me and Sally as they rushed inside.  Sally took my hand and we entered.


    "You know what you''re looking for?" Svolun asked me.  He pried open a crate and began to pull out various scientific equipment.


    "Yes," I said.  I pulled Sally passed him towards the two large crates at the back marked Ma''amaloa.  I let go of her hand and pried open the crates. In each of them were cylindrical tubes that were taller than me.  They each had a small computer in the front.


    "I found them," I said.


    "Anything inside?"  Svolun and Igwe continued to go through the other crates.


    I punched in the code the miasmids relayed to me.  The first tube opened. I could see how it was setup to hold a body, but the wires inside weren''t attached to anything.


    "Empty," I said.  "I''ll check the other."  But it was empty too. The miasmids disappointment was my disappointment.  I wanted to please them.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "He already used these clones then," Svolun said.  "I was sure there were more."


    Why do you want clones?  I asked the miasmids.  No.  Why do you specifically want Ma''amaloa''s clones?  I had a wealth of knowledge from the miasmids that I would never have had otherwise.  I knew Vai''s father was a weird, secretive scientist, but he wasn''t the only scientist to make clones.  The miasmids didn''t usually like clones so why were these an exception?


    The miasmids didn''t answer me.


    "I don''t see anything here that might be a preserver," Igwe said.


    "What''s a preserver?" I asked.


    More screams awakened the night outside.  The facility was far enough away from civilization that no one would hear.  And everyone that was stationed here would soon belong to the miasmids.


    Neither Igwe nor Svolun answered me.  And even though the miasmids didn''t give a clear answer, I got the impression whatever the preserver was that was the real reason we were here.  The miasmids were even more disappointed. That disappointment seeped into me.


    "Second Officer, take them to the larger storage unit and help the others destroy the parts for Aether Fields," Svolun said.


    Igwe nodded and left the storage unit without looking back to me and Sally.  I took Sally''s hand and followed Igwe.


    Don''t you think it''s strange that Svolun isn''t coming? I asked the miasmids.


    Go back, they whispered to me.


    I released Sally''s hand.  When she looked up at me I nodded towards Igwe.  She took a tentative step towards him. I nodded to reassure her.  She went to stand next to Igwe. Igwe had turned around and watched our exchange.  He shook his head at me. I took a step back towards the storage unit.


    Igwe opened his mouth.  He started to call out a warning to his captain, but the miasmids filled him with pain.  He closed his mouth and grabbed at his head. I took another step back as I dared him to make another sound.  He took Sally''s hand and headed towards the larger storage unit.


    I turned and went back.


    "Dad?  How? I didn''t answer," an unfamiliar voice said.


    Svolun was at the back of the unit with a small, square device in his hand.  Similar devices were strewn along the floor near the crate he had been going through.  He saw me.


    "Tell Minmin her mother is dead," he said rapidly into the device as I rushed to close the distance between us.  "She resisted them. She died a hero. She . . ." I ripped the device from his hands and crushed it in mine. I let the pieces fall to the ground.


    "The miasmids are not happy," I said.


    He bent over in pain.  I smiled as the miasmids filled me with pleasure.


    "You belong to them now," I continued.  "Not the Gathering. Not your family."


    Svolun shook his head.  He grabbed me around the waist and pushed.  I fell onto the hard floor. Red pain crackled through my back.  I twisted out from underneath him, grabbed his head and slammed it into the floor.  Svolun was a more experienced fighter than I was - although I had learned I was good at it.  I didn''t think my win over him would be so easy if the miasmids weren''t already filling him with pain.


    I leaned in close to his ear and said.  "You aren''t in charge anymore. From now on, you will obey my commands."  The pleasure was so intense, my legs almost gave out on me. Instead, I managed to leave him there writhing in pain.  I walked outside and passed the two screaming guards in a haze of shimmering pink.

 Chapter 28 .

    Shel


    I woke up later than I had planned.  The lights were bright in the room to mimic daylight, but outside my window was dark space and streaks of bright stars.  I sat up and rubbed my head. For a moment, I thought last night''s events were just a dream. First Vai''s spirit lit up in his green light telling me that the Vai body was a clone and that he was a clone too.  Then my father called into my okulus and the okulus answered without me telling it to. I didn''t know it was my father until he started to speak. It was just a strange call from nowhere.


    I had a hard time falling asleep after that.  I had crept passed my mother after the call to check on Minmin.  My little furry friend was wrapped in Esther''s long arms. Both were asleep.  Both spoke in their sleep. Minmin called out to her mother. Esther called out for her little brother.  I had left them without disturbing them. I had intended to tell them both about Vai before they logged into the ansible for school.  Looking at my okulus now, I was too late. They would be in school.


    My door slid open as I stepped into the living quarters.  It was empty. The blanket my mother used at night was folded and placed nicely under the glass table.  I wasn''t sure where my mother disappeared to during the day. I always assumed she was tracking our next target.


    I went to the girls''s room and peeked inside.  They were both on the bed with their respective okuli wrapped around their heads.  I left them there and got an algae shake. I didn''t mind the taste of the algae. I know most of the other alien species got sick of the aftertaste quickly, but I was fine with it.  It reminded me a little bit of home.


    When I finished with the shake, I reshaped the okulus and fit it around my head.  I sat on the couch. I wanted to be able to tell Minmin and Esther what happened with Vai as soon as possible.  I thought about not telling Minmin about her mother. I wasn''t sure I could trust my dad, but the way he was cut off - like the Corruption didn''t want him to relay that information to me - made me think it was true.  My dad hadn''t mentioned Minmin''s dad. I assumed that meant the Corruption had him now like they did with my own dad.


    I logged into the ansible and looked at the academy coursework I had for the day.  It was difficult to decide what I wanted to specialize in. I was leaning towards Jo-Dinun like my mother, but I also thought Gathering command might be good.  I knew people would compare me to my dad if I did that and I didn''t want that. If I became a Jo-Dinun, I would be compared to my mom so perhaps neither choice was good.


    The coursework was almost completed when I heard Minmin and Esther come out of the room.  I logged out of the ansible and took the okulus off my head.


    "Hi," Minmin said to me as she got an algae apple for her and Esther.  Esther took hers from Minmin''s small hands and immediately took a bite.


    "What''s wrong?" Minmin asked me.


    Esther''s eyes turned to me.  She scanned me up and down as if trying to see what Minmin saw.  I didn''t think she would see it. Minmin knew me too well.


    "Esther, may I have a moment with Minmin?"


    Esther''s eyes turned from me to Minmin - to me and back to Minmin.


    "Okay," Esther said slowly and filled with suspicion.  She went back into their bedroom.


    "What''s wrong?" Minmin asked again.  She came around to stand in front of the table.


    It didn''t feel right to tell her this while sitting so I stood.  "So, there are a couple of things, but only one pertains directly to you.  The rest I''ll tell everyone."


    "Okay.  What is it?"


    I took the uneaten algae apple from her hand and placed it on the table.


    "My dad called me last night from an unrecognizable number.  My okulus answered it even though I didn''t."


    "Is that possible?"


    "Well, he did it so it must be somehow.  I don''t think he was using his okulus." I paused here.  "I don''t know if I should admit this. I''ve tried to call his okulus after the Armstar disappeared.  I just wanted to know if he was alive - if he had something to do with what happened.  His okulus isn''t registered with the Gathering anymore. My calls wouldn''t go through."


    "So what did he say?  Were you able to ask him your questions?  Did he say anything about my parents."


    I took in a deep breath.  She noticed. Her mouth pinched.


    "I didn''t have time to ask him any questions.  Minmin, I''m sorry. He said your mother died. He said she resisted the Corruption until she died.  He said she was a hero."


    Great tears welled in her green eyes.  A tear spilled onto her cream colored fur.  "What about my dad?"


    "He didn''t mention your dad.  That was all he said before he got cut off."


    Another tear spilled onto her fur.  The fur under her eyes quickly became wet and matted to her checks.  "Do you believe him?"Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "I don''t think he would have been cut off like that if he had been saying what the Corruption wanted him to say.  I believe him."


    A quiet high-pitched sound came from her throat.  She wrapped her arms around my waist in a hug. I put one hand on her back and the other on top of her head between her long, floppy ears.


    "I''m sorry," I whispered.


    She turned away from me rapidly, unexpectedly.  I wondered what I did wrong.


    "Why don''t you have any fur?" She muttered in between sobs.


    "Minmin," I said.


    She turned back to me and hugged me again.  I stroked the fur on top of her head.


    There was a knock at the door.


    "It must be Owen and Vai," Minmin said.  She pulled away and wiped at her wet cheeks.


    Vai.  Clone Vai who was wrong inside.


    "Is it obvious I was crying?"


    I nodded.  She couldn''t just brush her fur and make it dry.


    "We should tell them what happened," I said.


    She nodded.  Esther peeked her head out from the bedroom.


    "Can I come out now?"


    I nodded.  "Answer the door."


    Esther''s eyes lingered on Minmin''s wet fur as she went to open the door.


    "Hello, my friends," Owen said warmly from the door frame.  He paused as he looked at Minmin. Vai and Warpaint came up behind Owen.  "What''s wrong?" Owen asked.


    "Come in," I said.  They stepped inside and the door slid shut behind them.


    I told them about my dad''s phone call and Minmin''s mom.  Esther and Owen hugged her at the same time. Vai hesitated before he took a few slow steps to Minmin and patted the top of her head awkwardly.


    "She was a hero," Warpaint said proudly.  "Captain Svolun said so himself. You can be proud little Starwatcher, friend of Vai."


    Esther pulled Minmin to the couch as she held the Starwatcher close to her.  Minmin nodded to Warpaint''s words with her head buried in Esther''s shoulder.


    I had hoped to tell them about Vai being a clone and that the real Vai - even though he was a clone too - was still around, but I couldn''t announce that with the other Vai right there.  How was I going to inform them that this other Vai was going around killing innocent K''thaktra?


    "I found the Awakened One last night," Esther said as she still held Minmin.


    "What did he say?" Owen asked.  He sat next to Minmin on the couch.


    "He told me where he was.  Well, not exactly, but I''ll find it like I did last time."  She looked at Vai. "I know El and Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa won''t like it, but can I try to open the light inside you?"


    It wouldn''t work.  The light was with the real Vai and he had said this other Vai was incomplete.


    "Yes," Vai said.  "It''s bothering me that I don''t have it."


    I looked at Warpaint''s head.  The real Vai was there watching all this craziness without anyone but me knowing.


    Esther untangled herself from Minmin and stood to face Vai.  She placed one hand on his forehead and the other circled to the back of his head.  Minmin sniffed loudly and wiped away at the tears that matted her fur. It seemed like she was done crying.  At least for the moment.


    Esther closed her eyes.  Vai closed his. I looked at Warpaint again.  There wasn''t any sign of Vai''s green light, but I knew he was there.  Esther opened her eyes.


    "There isn''t any sign of your light," she said quietly.


    Vai frowned.  He looked at the ground and shrugged.  "My father said it was gone. I guess he was right."


    "Maybe if - "  Everyone looked at me.  "Maybe if we all go into our spirit selfs using the light - maybe if you really concentrate, Vai, maybe you''ll find a hint of your light."  I lied. His light was all with the real Vai, but I wanted to use this opportunity for everyone else to discover the real Vai too.


    "I guess it couldn''t hurt," Vai said.  He sat down in one of the chairs. Esther, Minmin and Owen were on the couch.  I sat in the other chair across the table from Vai''s chair. I closed my eyes and used my purple light to lift out of myself.  Minmin, Esther and Owen immediately followed.


    Real Vai came out of Warpaint like he had the previous night.


    "What the hell," Esther said as her spirit self surrounded by her pink light skittered backwards.


    "I haven''t had time to tell them what you told me last night," I said to real Vai.


    "What''s going on?"  Owen''s head swiveled from the other Vai to the real Vai several times.


    Vai wasted no time explaining to them about the clones and that Other Vai was incomplete.  He told them how Other Vai had killed a K''thaktra and that he was already planning his next K''thaktran victim.


    "We should tell your father," Minmin said.


    Other Vai''s fingers tapped his thighs impatiently.  His brown eyes opened into narrow slits as he looked at each of our still bodies.  He closed his eyes again.


    Except, I''ve told you all highly classified information.  I''m not sure how my father will react to that. I also don''t think he will know of a way to get me back inside my body - Other Vai''s body.  I''m not in his Laumalie preserver and my father seemed stumped by that.


    "We''ll tell my mother and Lieutenant Tanpo," I said.  "I don''t think they will be able to get you back into your body, but they can at least try to help us stop Other Vai."


    "This is so weird," Owen said.  "I knew you - or I guess Other Vai - wasn''t quite right.  You wouldn''t ignore my call."


    No.  I wouldn''t.  I was angry with him for ignoring your call, but he can''t hear me.  Warpaint can''t hear me either. I''m relieved you can hear me at least.


    Other Vai peeked his eyes open again.  A small sigh escaped his lips before he closed his eyes.


    Esther looked mortified.  She hadn''t recovered from the initial thought of the different Vais.  That was all I thought it was, but Minmin thought differently.


    "Esther?  What''s wrong?"


    "What if my family is still out there somewhere floating around as spirits?  What if they are trapped? I abandoned them. They are alone."


    No.  I''m the one that''s different.  I think because I''m a clone. I''m sure your family has passed on to where they should be.  They aren''t suffering.


    "Are you sure?" Esther asked.  A tentative hope slowly spread over her face at Vai''s words.


    I know I''m different.


    Esther nodded.  "I''ll accept that for now.  The thought that they are trapped somewhere is too horrible."


    "So, we need to stop Other Vai from killing anymore," Owen said.  "And get you back into your body."


    Other Vai stopped pretending.  His dark eyes opened fully. He rubbed the palms of his hands over his thighs as he waited for us.


    I don''t know that is possible.  I might be stuck like this forever.


    "I''ll ask the Awakened One," Esther said.  "He knew you were dead even when I insisted you weren''t.  He told me the breathing Vai was fake. He told me your light shouldn''t disappear no matter how injured you were.  He told me to try to bring out the light again in Vai. If I couldn''t find the light, Vai was a fake. He was right."


    Thank you, Esther.


    "Do you know when Other Vai plans to kill another K''thaktra?" Owen asked.


    No.  He doesn''t talk much to Warpaint.  He internalizes his plans.


    "Don''t worry, Vai," Minmin said.  She took Vai''s spirit hand in hers.  "We''ll get this figured out and get you back into your body."


    Thank you, Minmin.  I''m sorry about your mother.  Thank you, all of you. I''m not alone anymore.

 Chapter 29 .

    Vai


    "Let''s go Warpaint," Other Vai said.  The bedroom door slid open and Other Vai stepped into the living quarters.


    "But, sir," Warpaint said as he strode after him - and therefore me too.  "School is going to start in a few minutes."


    Other Vai didn''t reply as he stepped into the corridor.


    "Your friends in school will miss you, sir," Warpaint said.  Other Vai continued to the elevators. "I need to contact your father and tell him you are missing school."


    No, Warpaint.  That won''t work with Other Vai.  I don''t think it would have worked with me either.  I wonder if it would work with the original Vai.


    Other Vai spun to face the mechatronic - and me.  He had the vibroscalpel he took from Mersk held up to his neck.


    "No, sir!" Warpaint said.  "I won''t tell your father."


    Other Vai smirked and turned to the elevators.  Warpaint followed him inside.


    Warpaint, stop falling for that.  He''s not going to kill himself. If I figure out a way to get my body back, I''ll never threaten you with my life again.


    "Turn on your camera distorter," Other Vai said.


    Warpaint didn''t question it.  He just did it.


    We got out at deck 7.  Maybe he had arranged to meet Shel?  Except he walked passed their quarters.  Hani''s quarters? She was nearby. Maybe Other Vai decided to receive her crush even though I had dismissed it.


    He passed Hani''s quarters.  He stopped at 7121. He put the vibroscalpel up to his neck again.  "Get us in," he demanded of Warpaint.


    Warpaint looked all around the empty corridor.


    "Hurry," Other Vai said.


    "But, sir, these quarters belong to - "


    "I know who they belong to.  I know she won''t be home yet.  Open it."


    Who did the quarters belong to?  A dark trepidation began to spread inside me.


    "No, sir.  This is wrong.  Let''s go back to our quarters and you can join your younger friends in school."


    Other Vai cut a small line into his neck with the vibroscalpel.  There was no blood as the vibroscalpel immediately cauterized the wound.  There was a red burn line on Other Vai''s neck.


    "No, sir, no!"  Warpaint raised his three arms into the air.


    "Then open the door," Other Vai said.


    "I will, sir.  Just don''t hurt yourself."  Warpaint connected to the small locking mechanism beside the door.  The door slid open. Other Vai walked inside. Warpaint followed. The door closed behind us.


    "Lock it again," Other Vai said.


    Warpaint did as he was told and locked us inside the small quarters.  The quarters had a living area and one bedroom. Other Vai made a complete circle around the couch and little table.  An oversized deep blue throw blanket with white stars was draped carelessly over the back of the couch. On the floor next to the couch was a white plate with a half-eaten bird leg of some sort.  It wasn''t real meat. It was made from the algae.


    There was a black vase on the table.  Large, triangular orange flowers blossomed from the vase.  I wondered if they were real. It would be hard to have real live flowers in individual quarters.  If people wanted to be around real plants and nature, they went to the arboretum.


    Other Vai touched an orange petal gently before he pinched it hard.  "Fake," he said. He knocked the vase over on its side. The vase did not break.  The fake flowers spilled out halfway. Other Vai turned away from them and went to the bedroom door.


    "Sir.  That is a woman''s private bedroom.  You shouldn''t enter."Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Just a K''thaktran," Other Vai said.  "What could she have except destruction."  The door opened and he went inside.


    Warpaint stood in the doorframe.  "Sir, this is really a breach of privacy."


    I used my green light to rise from Warpaint.  I watched Other Vai closely as he walked around the small bedroom - kicking clothes on the floor out of his way as he went.  He went through the few drawers in the desk, but didn''t see anything he found interesting. I wanted a closer look at the shiny, oval red rock that was connected to a gold necklace - I didn''t know K''thaktra wore jewelry, but Other Vai walked passed Warpaint and back into the living quarters.  I didn''t want him out of my sight so I followed along with Warpaint.


    Other Vai sat on the couch.  He picked up the half-eaten bird leg and sniffed it.  He dropped it back onto the plate. It rolled off and under the little table.  Other Vai didn''t bother to pick it up.


    "I thought security officers were required to be tidier than this," Other Vai said.


    Warpaint looked at the door as if he expected someone to come in at that moment.  Maybe he picked up something on his sensors. I waited, but no one came in and Warpaint turned his attention back to Other Vai.


    "It is against protocol, sir.  But the command often is less strict with such things in the vastness of space."  The mechatronic''s white head swiveled to the door again.


    "Are you following her on your sensors?  Is she almost here?"


    "She got off the elevator.  Sir, we should leave now before she arrives."


    Other Vai made that strange smirk again.  Had I ever made that smirk? I didn''t think so, but I couldn''t really see my face in daily activities so maybe I had.  I hated it. Other Vai stood up and went into the small bathroom off to the side. Warpaint followed, but hesitated in the doorframe.  Other Vai grabbed one of his arms and pulled him inside behind him.


    "Sir," Warpaint said, but Other Vai put a finger up to his lips and brought the vibroscalpel up to his neck.  Warpaint became silent.


    Warpaint.  You can''t let him do this.  He is going to kill another innocent K''thaktra.  This isn''t right. Stop him!


    But Warpaint didn''t hear me.


    I lifted out of him and rushed towards Shel''s quarters.  It was a longshot - none of my friends would hear me unless they were also in their spirit form - but I had to do something.  I entered Shel''s quarters first. There was a strain on my connection with Warpaint. Like a bungee cord being pulled as far as it could and it wanted to spring back.


    Shel was on his bed with his okulus over his head.


    Hey!  I screamed as loud as I could.  Shel didn''t make any movements to indicate he heard me.  Please.  We can''t let him do this again.


    I reached down with my spirit self wrapped in my green light and tried to shake his arm.  It passed through him. Shel didn''t move.


    I moved on to Minmin''s and Esther''s room.  They also had their okuli over their heads.


    Other Vai is going to kill again.  You need to get up and stop him.  I tried to grab both of them, but again my spirit hands just passed through them.  Neither of them indicated they heard me. There wasn''t time for this. The K''thaktra could already be back to her quarters and not have any clue Other Vai waited in her bathroom to kill her.


    I floated up and up.  I got to deck 6. I almost made it to deck 5 and Owen before I was flung back hard into Warpaint.  He and Other Vai still waited behind the bathroom door.


    I came out of Warpaint again and entered the living quarters.  The K''thaktra was already there. She still wore the security officer uniform.  She sat on her couch and picked up the white plate. She tilted her head in confusion when she saw the bird leg was missing.  She looked over the arm of the couch to the floor.


    Run!  Get out of here!  He''s going to kill you.  Please hear me. Please.


    She stood up and looked behind the couch.  She got on her knees and searched in front of the couch.  Her mouth opened into a smile when she saw it under the table.


    You don''t have time for this.  Get out!


    She reached for the bird leg.  Other Vai ran out of the bathroom.


    "Sir, no!"


    That was when she saw them.  She dropped the bird leg, but her shoulder banged on the table and upturned it as she tried to get up.  She tripped over the fallen vase and fell onto her back. Other Vai brought the vibroscalpel down and buried it into the softest part of her throat.  She stared up at him in horror. An orange, barbed hand reached up shakily and tried to push him off.


    No!


    I entered Other Vai''s body.  This time was different. I wasn''t settling over him like a blanket.  I was inside him. His hands fit over mine like gloves. His face fit over mine like a mask.  I tried to move the hand. I tried to retract the vibroscalpel. For a brief moment, his brain waves became mine.  I had a heartbeat again. My lungs breathed.


    The K''thaktra''s red eyes blinked once and then closed forever.  As her hand dropped heavily to the floor, the barbs cut the back of Other Vai''s hand.


    I felt the burn on Other Vai''s - my neck, felt the cuts on the back of my hand.  My light showed me how to heal them, how to stitch the cells and molecules, how to repair and regrow.  Within seconds, I had repaired myself.


    My heartbeat was gone.  The lungs were not mine.  Other Vai had pushed me out.  Warpaint grabbed Other Vai by his shoulders and pulled him off the K''thaktra.


    "Sir, no, sir."


    "Just take care of the body," Other Vai said coldly.  He rubbed his chest over his heart.


    Warpaint picked up the K''thaktra and put her inside him.  "Is something wrong, sir? Are you in pain? Are you having a heart attack?  You are very old, sir."


    "No, I''m not having a heart attack."  He picked up one of the fake flowers, tore off an orange petal and put it in his pocket.  "I just felt strange for a moment, but the feeling is gone. I''m fine."


    With my green light, I could see Other Vai''s essence entwined with the inner workings of his body - the heart, the lungs, the brain.  I wasn''t going to be able to just push him out. In order to have control of my body, I was going to have to get rid of Other Vai''s essence within it.  I needed to make my friends kill Other Vai.

 Chapter 30 .

    Owen


    I pulled my okulus off my head and stared at the message that had come in while I was at school.  I had seen who it was while I was still in class, but I thought it must be a mistake. I didn''t read it in class because my first thought had been that I had been found out.  That I was now known as a murderer. But as I thought about it further, how could anyone besides our little group know and none of them would have told Spencer.


    Except maybe Other Vai.  I didn''t know what to think about him.  Vai said he wasn''t complete whatever that meant.  And I had thought he was a little weird before I even found out he wasn''t our Vai.  Still, I didn''t think he would tell Spencer I killed his mother.


    I gathered my courage and opened the message.


    ?Call me.  Be discrete.


    I sighed out loud - so loud I checked my closed bedroom door just to be sure my dad didn''t hear me.  The music coming from his viola didn''t stop. I stood up and went into my bathroom just to be double sure.  I tilted my head back and stared at the white ceiling. I swallowed.


    "He doesn''t know I killed his mother," I whispered.


    I called.


    Spencer immediately picked up.  His image was projected through my volo.


    "We need to remove all items with peaches or apples off our menu.  We''ve completely run out," he said to someone off screen as he walked through a large kitchen.  He didn''t wait for an answer as he continued on his way - still not talking to me. I waited as my heart beat heavily against my chest.


    Spencer went into a small office.  He made sure the door slid shut behind him before he started talking.  "Do you think you can get the chocolate back?"


    Chocolate?  That was what this was about?  My heart eased its rapid beat, but the guilt in my stomach twisted.


    "It was confiscated by security."


    "I know that.  Do you think you can get it back?  Or some of it back? I''ll pay you twenty percent more than my mom paid you on the Remembrance.


    That was tempting.  More tempting than I wanted to admit.  I could recoup my losses with a fraction of the product.  I actually had already looked through the public records of the security officers to see if there were any I could bribe.  There was one I thought had a high possibility, but that had been forgotten with all the craziness of the Corruption and the light and the Awakened One and Vai''s death.


    "I don''t think I can get all of it at once.  I might be able to get a little bit at a time."


    "I would appreciate any of it.  I''m quickly running out of dessert items."


    Appreciate it?  The guilt rolled in my stomach and I felt queasy.  I hoped it didn''t show on my face.


    "Just don''t sell any on the side," Spencer said.  "Please."


    "I won''t."  And I meant it.  I killed his mom.  It was the least I could do.  "I promise every piece of chocolate will go to you."


    Spencer paused.  "I''m not sure I can trust you, but what choice do I have at the moment.  How long will it take? Can it be done by the dinner rush?"


    "Today?  I doubt it.  Possibly tomorrow night.  Let me see what I can do, but Spencer, can you put it on your menu?  Doesn''t everyone know you''ve already run out of chocolate?"


    "You''d be surprised how many people approach me directly asking if I''m keeping any in the back.  It''s crazy how much they''ll pay for it. But then I guess you know that. It''s your business."


    I couldn''t tell from the way he said it if he admired me or hated me or something else completely.


    "I''ll get back to you when it''s done," I said.


    Spencer nodded and ended the call.


    I looked through my okulus until I found my notes on Security Officer Pereira.  She usually worked nights which meant she wasn''t on duty yet. I thought about calling her, but decided to message her.  If she worked nights she still might be asleep, or she might be up getting ready.


    ?If I can get you one of the last remaining Silva dolls that survived the battle on Sol II, can you get me my chocolate?


    The reply came immediately.  I didn''t even have time to step out of the bathroom.


    ?I will do anything if you can get me a Silva doll.


    ?I don''t need anything.  Just the chocolate. A little at a time might be best so other security officers don''t realize they are missing.  I can even give you the empty wrappers to put fake algae chocolate in and replenish the missing supply so no one will realize the count is off.  Just don''t mix up the fake ones with the real ones. I''m not allowed to make fake algae chocolate so you''ll have to do that yourself.


    ?Deal.


    She made the deal without even knowing for sure that I could get the doll?  I didn''t think security officers were so gullible.


    ?Can you get me a portion of the chocolate by tomorrow night?


    ?I''ll drop it off after work.


    ?No.  We can''t let my parents know.  I''ll go to your quarters.


    ?Deal.


    I went back into my bedroom.  The music still played from the living room.  I sent another message to one of my contacts back on Earth.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ?You still have the Silva doll from Sol II for sale?  Is there something else you want in trade for it?


    There wasn''t an immediate reply, but I didn''t expect there to be.


    I stepped into the living quarters.  My dad stopped playing.


    "Hello, son.  How was school today?"


    "Fine.  I''m going to Shel''s."


    "Again?  Just kidding.  I''m glad you have friends."


    I did well not to roll my eyes.  I never had a problem making friends.  Keeping them - yes and I''d never had friends as close as these.


    I stepped into the corridor.  I took five steps away from my quarters before I realized someone walked behind me.  I could feel Adi''s fingers around my neck again. I spun as my hands went up to protect my neck.  It wasn''t Adi Pines back from the dead to get her revenge. It was El. She stood there calmly staring at - I assumed - my panicked expression.


    "Hi," I said with a fake laugh in my voice.  My hands dropped to my sides.


    "Walk with me," she said.  She stepped passed me.


    I stood there a moment and closed my eyes.  Adi was dead. She wasn''t going to choke me in the corridor.  It was my fault she was dead. My stomach twisted.


    "Owen," El demanded.


    My eyes shot open and I quickened my step until I walked beside her.  I waited for her to explain, but she didn''t. We got on to the elevator.  She reached out to my okulus. I didn''t protest as she turned on my camera distorter.  We went to level 3. She nodded as we passed people - mostly engineers. They all nodded respectively back, but other than that, they didn''t pay us much attention.


    We walked until we reached a door.  No one seemed to be in this area. The door was locked, but El connected her okulus to the door lock and the door opened.


    "Wait inside," she told me with a low voice.


    "A human male will come in about ten minutes.  He has the Corruption. I confirmed it myself this morning.  Kill him."


    "But . . ."


    She held up a blue hand.  "You helped kill Adi Pines.  I know. But you are the only one who has not killed.  Not really."


    "Why must this be a thing?  Why can''t I just help? Is it really necessary for each of us to kill to satisfy you?"


    Her jaw tightened.  Her eyes darkened. I swallowed.


    "Friend," I started.  Even I could hear the nerves in my voice.


    Her eyes made me stop.


    "It may not seem like it."  She leaned in close and her voice lowered further.  "But we are at war. Make no mistake about it. The Corruption will take over all of us or wipe us out.  It will be worse than the K''thaktra war. Only a handful of us out of the entire Gathering have the light.  Only a handful of us can fight. So we will fight. Even if you are young. Even if you are frightened. Even if you are small.  You will fight."


    I couldn''t argue.  I entered the room and turned back around to face her.  "Aren''t you coming?"


    "No.  The others did it on their own.  So will you."


    The door closed and I was left alone.


    I took in a deep breath and turned away from the door.  The lights had automatically turned on when I entered. It was a small break room.  There were two small circular tables. Four chairs surrounded each table. There were two algae food dispensers.  There were drawers that held a variety of utensils, plates, cups and bowls. A small bathroom was off to the side.  I took a steak knife and a fork from the drawers for a weapon. I sat at the far left table with my back to the door and placed my arms over the utensils.


    I waited.  And waited.


    The door opened.


    "Man, what I day I''ve had," a male voice said from behind me.


    I wasn''t sure he spoke to me so I didn''t say anything.


    "Are you from the Armstar or Fallfrost?  I don''t remember seeing you before."


    He sat next to me.


    I maneuvered the utensils so they were hidden in my sleeve.  I stood up. "Can I get you something, friend?" I said in my most friendly voice.  "Steak and potatoes? Pad Thai? Spaghetti?" I walked behind him towards the algae dispensers.


    "I wish I had time to eat all of that," the man said.  "Just an algae bar. I only have a 15 minute break."


    I got an algae bar from the dispenser.


    "What about you?" the man asked.  "Aren''t you getting yourself something?"


    "I just finished eating, friend."  I placed the algae bar in front of him and moved behind him.  I pulled out the steak knife. I aimed it for the back of his head, but hesitated.  I didn''t want to kill anyone.


    He spun around, stood and grabbed my wrist.  The chair he just sat in clattered as it fell on it''s side.  Pink was in his eyes as he towered over me. He took the knife from my hand.  How had he known?


    Only then did I remember Minmin''s words that the Corruption now recognized us.  I put a yellow light shield around me as he brought the knife down to my neck. It stopped inches away from my skin.  I grabbed his wrist. Flames shot out and engulfed his arm. He twisted away from me and patted out the flames. It wasn''t enough of a fire for the fire detectors to go off.


    "Please," I said, "I don''t want to kill you."  I couldn''t do it. Someone else would have to do it.


    A weird smile touched his lips.  "But I do want to kill you. They want me to kill you."  He closed his eyes a moment and his smile widened. His eyes flashed open and he rushed me.


    I stepped back, but I tripped over the chair.  He came down over me. The knife hovered over my stomach.  I shook my head, pleading. I pushed his arm away with both of mine, but his other hand curled around my head.  My head lifted barely before it was bashed into the ground. I centered my shield around my head. The realization came too late that this was what he waited for.  Sharp, red pain spread through my side as the knife sliced through me.


    I looked towards the door.  Surely, El would come in and save me now.  The door remained closed. The man on top of me was heavy.  My blood spilled out. My head was still dizzy from the blow to the ground even with my shield up.


    This man had already slipped through my shield.  I moved my shield so it encompassed him and me. I burned.  My entire body became flames. My shield kept the flames in and the fire detectors unaware of the fire.


    The man cried out.  He tried to get away from me, but I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug.  Tears evaporated as soon as they touched my cheeks. I didn''t want to do this. Pink Corruption came out of his ears, mouth and nose.  My shield kept them in too. They didn''t even try to attack me. They only wanted to get away from the flames. They were trapped. They burned.


    I held The man until he stopped screaming - until his body was nothing but ash.  There was nothing left of the pink Corruption.


    I put away my shield and my flames.  I wiped away at the tears on my cheeks that had already evaporated.  I stood and held my side. I thought my flames would cauterize the wound, but they hadn''t.  Even though I had burned, my flames never really hurt me. I guess they didn''t heal me either.  I stared at the ashes on the ground that had mingled with my blood. I didn''t have a handheld sweeper like Esther did.  I wasn''t sure how to get rid of the evidence.


    The door opened.


    "I didn''t . . ."  I had started to say it wasn''t me, but it was El.  She had that smile on her face that was a combination of proud warrior and proud mom.


    "You did well," she said.


    "You were here all along?  Why didn''t you help me?" Blood seeped through my fingers as I held my sliced side.


    "You''re hurt," she stated without emotion.  "Lieutenant."


    Lieutenant Tanpo entered the room.  The door closed behind her. I didn''t know why her appearance was the thing that caused my legs to give out, but they did.  I fell to my knees on the man''s ashes. Ashes floated up and I accidentally breathed some of them in. I didn''t even know the man''s name.


    "Take him back to my quarters," El said.  "I''ll follow as soon as I clean this up. Here put my cloak over your wound."  She unclasped her cloak and handed it towards me. I stared at it. Lieutenant Tanpo took it from her.  She bent next to me and helped me to stand.


    I wasn''t sure if it was the blood loss or guilt, but my stomach roiled with nausea.  My body shook. The dizziness hadn''t ever completely gone away.


    "Is this really necessary?" I asked the lieutenant.  "Do we really have to kill them? Is there really no other way?"


    "There is no other way," El said.  But I hadn''t asked her.


    "There is no other way," Lieutenant Tanpo said more gently.  She folded up the cloak and draped it over my arm to hide the blood and anyone watching would just think I was carrying a cloak.  They wouldn''t know I held it to hide the blood. I was truly a killer now.

 Chapter 31 .

    Vai


    Other Vai took off his okulus from his head and reshaped it to fit around his wrist.  He swung his legs off the bed.


    "Sir, are you hungry?" Warpaint asked.  "I can get you anything from the food dispenser."


    "I''m not hungry.  I hope Lieutenant Tanpo is there to train today."  Other Vai walked into the living quarters. Warpaint followed.  I went with both of them though neither of them knew it. "When it''s just my friends, the number comes out uneven to pair off when we spar."


    "She is not listed to be on duty at the moment," Warpaint said hopefully.  "There is a good possibility she will be there today."


    We stepped into the corridor and made our way to the elevator.  When we stepped off at level 7, Hani and Nathan approached the elevators.


    "Hello, Vai," Hani said.


    "Hi," Other Vai said.


    "We''re just going up to the Starrise to see Spencer and to get something to eat.  Do you want to come with us?" There was a lilt to Hani''s voice at this last part.


    "No," Other Vai said, "I''m meeting Owen and the others.  Maybe next time."


    He said the words because he knew that was what he - or rather I - would have said in the past.  He knew he was supposed to feel something, but he didn''t. He knew there was something wrong with him, but he wouldn''t voice it to anyone.  He didn''t want anyone to know.


    "Next time then," Nathan said when Hani didn''t immediately answer.  Nathan put his hand on Hani''s back and urged her passed us to the elevators.


    Warpaint and Other Vai continued forward.  I came out of Warpaint to hover behind.


    Sorry Other Vai is a jerk, Hani.  Well, I probably would have said the same thing, but at least I would have felt something.


    They got on the elevator and it lifted away.  I let myself be snapped back into Warpaint.


    Other Vai knocked on Shel''s door.  Esther opened it almost immediately.  She poked her head around Other Vai and Warpaint before she stepped aside to let them in.  "Where''s Owen?" she asked.


    "Don''t know," Other Vai said.  He completely forgot to feign interest.  Shel and Minmin stood in the living quarters.  The furniture had already been pushed out of the way.  They exchanged a knowing glance with Esther at Other Vai''s hollow words.  All three of them looked at Warpaint''s head and I knew my friends were looking for me.


    I''m here.  I knew they couldn''t hear me - not unless they used their light to come out of their bodies, but I said the words anyway.


    "Should we wait for him?" Minmin asked.


    "No," Other Vai said.  His fists clenched and unclenched by his side.  "Let''s spar."


    "Maybe we should practice meditating on our light again," Shel said.  "Maybe you''ll have more luck this time rediscovering your light." He looked at Warpaint''s head again.


    Yes.  I need to speak with you.  He - I pointed at Other Vai - killed another innocent today.  We have to stop him.


    "No," Other Vai said.  "My light is gone."


    It''s not yours.  It''s mine and it''s not gone.


    "I''d rather spar so I can defend myself if I get attacked again.  I know I can''t defend against the Corruption, but I have Warpaint and his Aether shield."


    "Yes, sir.  My Aether shield is very powerful.  I won''t be surprised again. I''ll keep you safe no matter what."


    I''m the one who needs to be kept safe.  You should help me kill Other Vai.


    Except Warpaint would never be able to hear me in this form.  If my friends tried to kill Other Vai, he would try to stop them.  Did that mean we needed to find someway to kill Warpaint?


    The thought was repulsive.  I resented his presence when my father first brought him home to guard me, but he had been by my side 24/7 for so long now, I didn''t want him gone.  There had to be another way. Maybe something to stun him like what Alessandra had tried to use on him. Once I was back and alive in my body - Was it my body?  I had never actually been in this one. Other Vai was incomplete and this body had always been meant for me. Other Vai only existed because the Laumalie preserver had failed for whatever reason.  So it was my body.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Once I was back and alive in my body, I would explain everything to Warpaint.  I was the first Vai he was supposed to protect.


    Other Vai paired off with Shel.  Minmin and Esther paired off.


    "Don''t go easy on me because you know I don''t have the light," Other Vai said.


    "Don''t worry," Shel said easily, "I won''t."  He was suddenly low to the ground and swiped Other Vai''s legs out from underneath him.


    I settled over Other Vai.  I didn''t try to fight for control of the body.  He never knew I was there. I just wanted to see Shel as if I was the one sparring with him.  I mimicked Other Vai''s moves with my spirit self. Sometimes I came up with my own moves enhanced by my light to combat Shel''s moves.


    Shel didn''t hold back.  Other Vai had all my memories as a boxer and my training before I died.  He did okay against Shel. Against someone other than my friends who trained daily to fight the Corruption - Other Vai might have won easily.  But he wasn''t up against anyone else. He fell multiple times before Shel and instead of taking it as a learning experience as I was, he began to resent my friend.


    The door opened.  El and Lieutenant Tanpo entered with Owen sandwiched between them.  Esther immediately stopped fighting and rushed towards them.


    "Owen, you are here finally.  Where have you been?"


    Owen gave her a pained smile.  He was unusually pale. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead.  His blond hair was messy.


    Shel and Minmin stopped to watch.  Other Vai didn''t. He tried to punch Shel, but Shel easily dodged enhancing his speed with his purple light.


    "Later, friend," Shel said.  He stepped away from Other Vai so that Other Vai couldn''t continue sparring unless he decided to hit Shel in the back.  He contemplated it.


    No.


    He remained still.


    "Friend?" Minmin said.  "Picking up some things from Owen?"


    "I guess so," Shel said as he stood by her side.


    "Is something wrong?" Esther asked.


    I looked with my green light.  Owen was bleeding. A cloak had been draped over his arm and he used it in such a way as to hide his wound and the blood.  There was a wide gash in his side. Blood still leaked out. He was weak from blood loss, but his head also had a huge bump on the back of it that he hadn''t realized yet.  Lieutenant Tanpo and El tried to hide the gash from the others as they rushed him towards the bathroom.


    "He''s fine," El said in that way that meant no one should argue with her or ask questions.


    He clearly wasn''t fine and everyone in that room knew it.


    I drifted out of Warpaint.  I drew near Owen. Much like what happened with Other Vai - I could see Owen''s internal workings when I called on my light.  I sent my green light over his gash. I mended the blood vessels, the muscle and tissue, the skin. The blood stopped flowing, the gash closed over, the bump on his head retreated.


    "Vai?" Owen gasped.


    "What?" Other Vai said.  But I knew Owen spoke to me.  His blue eyes drifted to Warpaint''s head.


    I''m here.


    "Vai," Owen said again, but this time it wasn''t a question.  He knew his best friend was by his side.


    "What is it?" Other Vai said.


    "You were late for class this morning," Owen said as he finally turned to Other Vai.


    "And you were late for sparring," Other Vai said easily.


    Owen dropped the cloak to the floor.  Esther gasped when she saw the blood on his shirt.


    "I''m okay," Owen said.  "It looks worse than it is."


    Because I healed it.  I like my light now. Why did the Awakened One say the other Awakened Ones would have killed me?  Wouldn''t they have wanted to be healed? I can''t really attack so maybe they thought it was a weakness.  And I said all of this and none of you can hear me.


    "What happened to you?"  Esther reached out her long fingers to touch the blood, but stopped herself right before her fingers touched his shirt.


    "I had him kill one with the Corruption," El said.  "And he did it marvelously."


    "You killed him?" Esther asked.  There was an emotion to her voice I couldn''t quite identify, maybe a mix of sorrow and disappointment.  I didn''t understand. She was the one who brought all of us into this. She was the one who told us they couldn''t be spared.


    "I didn''t want to," Owen said quietly.  "But I had to." His blue eyes looked sharply into Esther''s honey colored eyes.  "We have to don''t we? There isn''t any other choice?" I could hear it in his tone.  He wanted there to be another way. Out of all of us, his heart was the most conflicted.


    Esther put a hand on top of his disheveled his hair.  "There is no other choice. You did well."


    "Let''s take a look at your wound and then you can come out and talk some more," El said.  She and Lieutenant Tanpo guided Owen into the bathroom. They shut the door behind them. I drifted through the bathroom door.


    El lifted Owen''s shirt.  Her eyes opened in surprise.  "I thought you were stabbed. Where did all this blood come from?"


    "I was stabbed.  It is my blood." Owen looked down at his side.  There wasn''t even a scar. A small smile touched his pink lips.  "Vai healed me. The real Vai. The spirit Vai that still has his light."


    Lieutenant Tanpo smiled.  "Vai finally discovered his power."


    "We must thank him," El said.


    "Is he okay?"  Esther said from the other side of the door.


    "He''s okay," El called back to her.  She put Owen''s shirt back down over his stomach.  "Let''s go out."


    Owen nodded.


    "We''re not done training," she said to everyone once they stepped outside.  "It''s time to work on training our light. Let''s meditate and use our light to lift outside of our bodies."


    Other Vai rolled his eyes.  "It''s been fun, but it''s time for me to leave.  I''ll talk to you later."


    He hardly waited for their goodbyes before he left.  Warpaint with him. I stayed in the room as the others lifted outside of their bodies and saw me.


    Owen''s spirit self rushed me and hugged me.  It was a strange sensation as it wasn''t warm, it wasn''t flesh, it wasn''t substantial, but it was real.


    "How long have you known what you can do?"


    Not long.


    "What can he do?" Esther asked.


    "He healed me," Owen said.  "I had a big gash in my side.  I was bleeding, but he healed me."


    I interrupted them as the others began to comment and congratulate me on finding my power.


    Other Vai killed another innocent K''thaktra.  The pull to Warpaint began to grow stronger as they got further away.  I wouldn''t be able to stay long.


    "That''s why he was late to school?" Owen asked incredulously.


    I nodded.  I began to drift backwards to follow Warpaint, but still speak with the others while I could.  They followed me out into the corridor


    I think you need to kill Other Vai.


    "But," Owen started, but I didn''t let him finish.


    You need to kill Other Vai.  I can inhabit that body once he is gone, but not while his essence is still there.  Please, I know it''s hard, I know it''s weird, but you need to figure out how to hold Warpaint long enough to kill Other Vai.

 Chapter 32 .

    Owen


    "Was Other Vai late for school again?" Shel asked.  He stood with his feet in the blue ocean. Minmin sat on the beach underneath the tree.  Shel''s bird sat in the tree above her. For a moment I was afraid the bird might poop on her, but then I remembered that none of this was real.


    "No," Esther said.  She sat in the water not too far from where Shel stood.  The waves came up to her waist before folding back out to sea.  Silver grains of sand shifted all around her.


    "I hope that means he didn''t kill another innocent," Minmin said quietly.


    "We don''t have a lot of time.  Other Vai is probably already on his way to our quarters for training." Shel said.  He sat in the sand next to Esther but whereas she faced out towards the ocean, he faced the beach.  My chest twisted in a weird knot seeing the two of them close together.


    They are foster siblings, I reminded myself.  The knot eased a little.  I went and sat in the water on the other side of Esther anyway.  She smiled at me. The knot eased away completely.


    "Do all of you really have to sit in the water?" Minmin asked.  She stood up and leaned against the green tree. "Have none of you learned anything from Waters Reaching?"


    Shel''s blue eyes rolled upward.  "Minmin, that''s just a show. Giant watery hands are not going to grab you and pull you under the water unless I program them to."


    A little squeal escaped her throat.


    "I''m not going to program it to," Shel assured her.


    "Still," she said and bounced a little on her feet.


    "How are we going to incapacitate Warpaint?" Shel asked.


    "I picked up the electrical disruptor Alessandra used on Warpaint," Esther said.  "I can modify it a little to make its effects last longer."


    "How long will that take?" Shel asked.


    "I can probably finish it tonight.  Probably earlier if I skip the training."


    "I say skip it," Minmin said.  "The longer we delay this, it will give Other Vai another opportunity to kill some innocent K''thaktra."


    Esther shifted in the sand so she could better see Minmin.  I did the same.


    "Esther will take care of Warpaint then," Shel said.  "What about Other Vai? How are going to kill him? I know Vai can heal now, but I think it would be best if we don''t damage the actual body too much."


    "Do we really have to kill him?" I asked.  Three pairs of eyes turned to look at me incredulously.  "I mean, Vai did say there is another Vai body in his father''s room.  Couldn''t Vai just go into the empty one?"


    "And leave two Vai''s running around?" Minmin asked.


    "How will we explain that to his father and everyone else?" Esther said.


    "That would still leave an incomplete Other Vai around to kill innocent people," Shel said.  "Vai''s father won''t stop him. We all know now to what lengths Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa will go to in order to keep a semblance of his son by his side.  Morals don''t matter to him when it comes to his son."


    "You''re right.  You are all right," I said.  "We should acquire euthanasia from medical.  That would be the easiest way to kill Other Vai.  Do you think once real Vai is inside he will be able to heal himself from that?"


    "He seems to think he can bring the body back from the dead," Shel said.


    "And if that doesn''t work, there is still the other body in his father''s room like you said," Minmin said.  "But then at least there won''t be two Vai''s running around - one of whom is turning out to be a serial killer."


    "I''ll get the euthanasia," Shel said.  "We''d better logoff. I think Vai is knocking on the door."  Shel and Minmin logged out immediately.


    "It''s going to be all right," Esther told me.  I nodded. I thought she said the words as much for her as for me.


    "I''ll be down in a minute," I said.  I logged out of the ansible. I reshaped my okulus to fit around my wrist.


    ?I get off work at 7 tonight.  I''ll have the chocolate with me.  It was a message from Security Officer Pereira.


    I had received a message from my contact back on Earth that he did indeed have a Silva doll from Sol II.  I told him I would give him something worth more than he could imagine in return for it, but that the exchange would have to happen in person when I returned to Earth.  He agreed. I wasn''t sure yet what that would be. That wasn''t exactly true. I was fairly certain I would open his light if he wasn''t already infected with the Corruption.  What could be greater than that? Honestly, I wasn''t sure why we kept hiding it. It made more sense to me to spread the light to as many people as we could.


    ?I''ll stop by your quarters at midnight.  I sent her a message in reply.


    Then I sent Spencer a message.


    ?I''ll have some of the chocolate tonight.  I''ll meet you in the corridor behind the Starrise after midnight.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    I climbed off my bed and went into the living quarters.


    My dad stopped playing his viola and smiled when he saw me.


    "Going down to Shel''s again?"


    "Yes."


    "I''m glad you are making friends.  How is Vai doing after his injury?"


    How should I answer that one?  "Fine," I lied.


    "Good," my dad said.  "Have fun." I walked into the corridor.


    I started towards the elevators.  I didn''t see who it was. I didn''t hear anything until it was too late.  I was grabbed from behind and pulled backwards. I was pulled into a maintenance shaft and dragged away.  I couldn''t see who had me, but a human male climbed into the maintenance shaft after us and closed the hatch behind him.  He wasn''t as big as Vai. If he had been, he wouldn''t have been able to fit into the the maintenance hatch. When he looked at me to follow us, pink was in his eyes.


    I screamed because that was what I had been taught since I was little.  If you''re ever kidnapped, you''re supposed to scream. The person who held me dropped me, but before I could react he hit me in the back of the head.


    My vision went black for a moment.  I retained enough of my faculties to put my light shield up.


    We should have known the Corruption would come for us at some point.  How long would they just sit back and keep letting us kill them? We knew they knew us and yet, we had never discussed this possibility.  Was it my turn to die now? Now that I had really killed, it was my turn.


    No.  I wasn''t going to make it easy for them.  The human male in front of me pressed down on my side that had been slashed.  They didn''t know it had been healed. He thought he was hurting me. It did hurt a little, but not what he was expecting.  He brought up a vibroscalpel with his other hand to bare down on me. I released my light and a wave of fire rushed over him.  He fell backwards and groaned as he rolled around as best he could in the confined maintenance shaft. The flames on him began to die away.


    I didn''t want to kill again.  I crawled forward towards the maintenance hatch.  I figured the man putting out the fires on himself would be too distracted to stop me.  A hand wrapped around my ankle and dragged me backwards.


    I rolled over onto my back to kick out at the person who had originally grabbed me.  My free leg paused in mid air. It was another human male. It was the first officer.  He wasn''t on our original list of those infected with the Corruption, but pink gleamed from his eyes.


    They had come for me because they knew I was alone.  They knew I had been injured. But that didn''t mean they wouldn''t attack the others.  I was just the first. The Corruption had finally decided to attack us.


    The first officer punched at my knee in the air, but my shield kept out his blow.  The man behind me stopped groaning. I tilted my head back enough to see he was coming for me despite the burns that were now all over his body.


    If I died here, I didn''t think my spirit would remain like Vai''s.  He was special for many reasons. I wasn''t. If the Corruption killed me here, no one would find my body.  My friends wouldn''t know what happened to me. They wouldn''t know the Corruption would be coming for them next.  My parents wouldn''t know. That thought settled over me heavily. It encompassed me. I hadn''t treated them right.  I was their only child. They loved me.


    I kicked the first officer in the nose.  I had to live. Everyone had to be warned - including my parents.  He blinked in surprise and a trickle of crimson blood dripped from his nose.


    I scooted backwards towards the hatch and bumped into the other man.  He tried to hold me, but I lit my arms, shoulders and back on fire. This time he screamed.  I crawled over him as red flames flickered over him. Pink smoke lifted out of his ears and nose.


    The first officer grabbed me by the ankle again and tried to drag me backwards towards him.  Pink smoke lifted from his ears and bloody nose and drifted towards me. The pink smoke from the first man intermingled with the pink shimmer from the first officer.


    "Owen?" My dad''s voice came from the corridor.  He must have heard me scream, but if I called to him now, the Corruption would get him too and he had no defense.  He didn''t even know about the light or the Corruption.


    I gathered fire in the palm of my hand and threw it at the first officer''s face.  He fell backwards as he patted at his face and tried to get away from my fire. The pink smoke drew closer.  I readied another fireball and threw it into the smoke. A good chunk of the pink wisped away into little puffs of smoke.  The rest flew back into the now retreating first officer.


    I looked back over my shoulder at the other man.  He now lay motionless as the fire burned over him.


    "Owen?"  My dad called a little further down the corridor.


    My okulus chirped with an incoming call.  I looked down at it long enough to see it was Esther, but didn''t answer it.  I called the flames on the dead man back to me before they could set off the alarm.  I let my flames die away and crawled to the hatch. I opened it and stumbled out.


    "Owen."  My dad rushed to my side.  "What''s the matter? What happened?  Are you all right?"


    He helped me stand and looked me up and down assessing me for any injuries in that fatherly way.


    "Call mom home now," I said.


    "Why?  She''s at work, son."


    I took his large hand in mine.  "Now," I said. I heard the tears in my voice and didn''t try to hide them as they began to spill onto my cheeks.  I was 17, but it was okay to cry in front of my dad.


    "All right," my dad said.  "Let''s get back inside. Should I call security?"


    I shook my head.  I let my dad lead me by the hand back to our quarters.  He called my mom and told her to come home - that I had been injured.  The tears stopped as my dad called my mom.


    I thought he was lying at first, but he went into the bathroom and came out with a first aid kit.  Apparently my forehead had been scraped sometime during the scuffle. I wasn''t sure when.


    "What happened?" he asked as he cleaned the scrape and put disinfectant on it.


    I didn''t answer.  I put one hand on his forehead and the other wrapped to the back of his neck.  He opened his mouth to ask what I was doing, but he gasped as I reached for his light.  The others would be angry with me for not discussing it with them first, but I couldn''t leave my parents defenseless.  His light was yellow too and it blazed with a sudden brightness.


    "What have you done?" he asked as he looked down at his hands filled with yellow light.  I told him everything then. My mom came in halfway through. She didn''t say a word, she just sat next to my dad and let me talk.


    When I was finished, my mom opened her mouth and started to ask me a question, but like with my dad, I didn''t give her a chance to ask.  I put my hand on her forehead and the other on the back of her neck and opened her light. It blazed a light blue.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t tell you both sooner," I said.  "Those missing people do have something to do with me, but they all had the Corruption.  We had to kill them."


    My okulus chirped again.  This time it was Shel.


    "This is what you''ve been doing this entire time with Vai and the others?" my mom said.  "Training to fight this alien species?"


    I nodded.


    "And Vai''s father and Shel''s mother know and encourage this?"


    I nodded again even though Vai''s father didn''t exactly encourage it.


    "Come down with me," I said, "to see Shel and his mother and the others while I explain that I opened your light."


    "I''ve got to get back to work," my mom said.  "There might be someone with the Corruption in my department finding my absence suspicious.  We can''t let them catch on."


    "I''ll go with you," my dad said to me.


    My okulus chirped a third time.  This time it was El. I didn''t answer, but I sent her a message.


    ?I''m coming.

 Chapter 33 .

    Shel


    I paced back and forth behind the couch.  Owen was never this late. And he didn''t answer my call or Esther''s.


    "I''m going to go look for him," I said.


    "I''m going with you."  Esther said. She paced in front of the door.


    "Is that really necessary?" Other Vai asked as he sat comfortably in a chair.  "I''m sure he''s fine."


    I almost killed him then.  I took a step towards him, but Minmin was suddenly in front of me.  "I''ll go too," she said.


    "No," my mom said.  "He just messaged me.  He is on his way."


    "See," Other Vai said.  "No need to overreact."


    Minmin grabbed my hand before I could advance on Other Vai.


    "Esther," I said, "now that we know Owen is safe, go work on that project you were going to work on."


    "Can I at least wait until he gets here?" she said.  "I just want to see him. Make sure he is really safe."


    I sat heavily on the couch.  There was a knock at the door.


    "Finally," Esther said.  She opened the door, but it wasn''t Owen it was Lieutenant Tanpo.


    Esther stared at her clearly disappointed it wasn''t Owen.


    "May I come in?" the lieutenant asked after Esther didn''t step aside.


    "Oh.  Of course," Esther moved.


    "You aren''t sparring yet?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked as she stepped inside.


    "Yes.  Finally."  Other Vai stood to his full height.  He picked up the chair to move it out of the way.  Warpaint always by his side.


    I grabbed the other chair while the Lieutenant and my mom moved the couch.  Minmin moved the glass table. Esther remained in the open door frame and stared down the corridor.


    A smile spread over her lips.  "Owen." She took a step into the corridor and then her smile faded.  "What happened to your forehead?" She pointed to a spot on her own forehead.  Her mouth opened slightly in surprise and she didn''t say anymore. She stayed in the hallway as Owen and his father walked into the room.


    We all paused as one.


    "Owen," my mom said carefully.  "What''s going on? How were you injured?  And Mr. Morgan, what a - pleasant - surprise to see you here."


    "The Corruption attacked me," Owen said completely disregarding his father''s presence.  "They dragged me into the maintenance shaft and tried to kill me. The first officer was one of them even though he wasn''t on our list."  He spoke quickly and without pause. My mom never looked away from Mr. Morgan. "I opened the light in my parents," Owen finished.


    After a brief silence, Lieutenant Tanpo said, "I thought we were keeping the light and the Corruption secret for the safety of those around us?"


    "How safe can they be when the Corruption can take over them at anytime because they weren''t warned about them.  And if they have the light the Corruption can''t enter them at all," Owen said.


    "But the Corruption will target them to kill them," my mom said.  "Mr. Morgan, you are in danger now."


    "Better to be at my son''s side in danger than being safe while he is in danger.  I''m not really happy that this was kept from me in the first place. I can understand the younger ones keeping it from me, but not you and not Lieutenant Commander Ma''amaloa.  As parents, you should have told me and my wife."


    My mom was unusually silent at this.


    "There is a dead body in the maintenance shaft by my quarters that will need to be taken care of," Owen said.  "The first officer got away, but he''ll have a burn mark on his face now. I''m not sure how he will explain that one."


    "I''ll go get the body," Esther said.


    "No," I said.  She stopped by the door.  "You need to get your project finished."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "Right," she said.


    "I''ll go get it," Minmin said.


    "What about our sparring?" Other Vai asked.  "Is everyone going to just disappear and forget?  I don''t have the light anymore. Sparring is the one thing I can do to feel useful."


    I stared at him.


    "What?" he asked.


    Of course he didn''t know that we knew he killed K''thaktra.


    "I''ve got to go to medical soon anyway," I said.


    "Why?" Other Vai asked.  "You were ready to train a few minutes ago."


    "I thought I could get a little bit in before I had to go.  And it''s kind of an embarrassing matter. I''d rather not go into the why I need to go."


    "I''ll spar with you," Lieutenant Tanpo said.


    "I''ll stay too," Owen said.


    My mom looked at Mr. Morgan.  "Do you want to join in our training sessions."


    "No," Mr. Morgan said.  "I''d best get back. If those with the Corruption are watching, it might be better if I don''t detract from my daily routine."


    "And he can''t hurt his hands," Owen said.


    My mom nodded.


    "And I''ll be back soon with the body," Minmin said.  "Warpaint can take care of it when I return."


    Other Vai seemed satisfied enough by this.  I left with Mr. Morgan and Minmin. They got off the elevator at deck 5.  I continued up to medical. When I got inside I received a message from Minmin.


    ?The body is gone.  The first officer must have come back for it.


    The last few disappearances had not been announced.  Surely those we killed with the Corruption and the K''thaktra that Other Vai killed were missed.  Their disappearances were being kept quiet for a reason we didn''t know yet.


    "May I help you?" a Starwatcher female asked in the lobby of medical.  She seemed extra small behind the large desk. The benches and chairs set around the room were empty.


    I leaned over the desk and whispered, "I think I have a sodium deficiency."  I connected my okulus briefly with the sign in so all my information would show up for her.


    "Oh," she said.  I was glad she didn''t make it seem like a trivial matter.  For most alien species it wouldn''t be considered embarrassing, but most Bundu-Jo found it embarrassing.  I didn''t really care since it wasn''t actually true, just an excuse to get inside to see the doctor.


    She hopped down from her tall chair and took me into a small room.  "Wait here," she said. "We''re not busy at the moment so Commander Ragear should be in soon."


    She left and closed the door behind her.  I knew what I was looking for wouldn''t be in this room, but I couldn''t just wander around medical and take medicine.  What I needed to kill Other Vai would be locked away.


    It wasn''t long before Dr. Rags entered.  "Hello, Shel," he said. "It''s been awhile since I''ve seen you."


    "A few years," I said.  He used to serve on my father''s ship while the Shadow was still being retrofitted.


    "You''ve gotten taller," he said in that way Dr.''s use to try to ease their patients.  I usually found it condescending, but I smiled anyway. "You think you have a sodium deficiency?  Let''s take a look."


    I was still as he scanned me and checked the readouts on his okulus.


    "They might be a little low, but I don''t see anything to be concerned about.  As far as the readouts go, you are in good health."


    I faked a smile of relief.  "It doesn''t seem like you are busy at the moment."


    "No," Dr. Rags said.  "Someone did come in not too long ago with burn marks, but we got that taken care of.  Other than that, you are my only other patient for the day."


    "That reflects well on the health of the crew," I said.  "Doesn''t give you much to do in the meantime though."


    "I''ve been studying Brist anatomy and a few other alien species," Dr. Rags said.  "Honestly, I always have something to do. My staff does get bored sometimes though.  I heard you decided to graduate early. Have you decided on what you want to study?"


    "I''ve been thinking pharmaceuticals," I lied.


    Commander Ragear''s eyes lit up.  "Really? That''s wonderful. Come here.  Let me show you something." He stepped out of the room and waved for me to follow him.


    He guided me to a locked door further into medical.  He opened it and we stepped inside a room lined with glass cabinets filled with medicines.  Commander Ragear always did have a tendency to be too trusting. It had got him into trouble in the past.  I remembered my dad had lectured him a few times about it.


    "I keep thinking we need to have a better system," Dr. Rags said.  He leaned in close and whispered up to me, "We had a break in." Then in his normal voice he said, "That was a while ago though and nothing has happened since then.  Any ideas for a better system?"


    The room was small.  More of a large closet.  There wasn''t a need for too much medicines anymore.


    I turned around slowly looking at each cabinet.  I pretended to be interested in the layout and the system, but really I was looking for euthanasia.  I found it.


    "Commander Ragear," a human male stood in the doorway.


    "Yes, what is it?"


    The human''s eyes lingered on me for a moment.  "That patient from earlier is back. You told him to return for a final treatment."


    "Ah yes," Dr. Rags walked towards the door, paused and turned back towards me.  "I''ll be back momentarily. Think about the system."


    I nodded.


    "It''s against the rules to leave him in there," the human male whispered to Dr. Rags.


    "It''s fine.  He''s the son of a captain."


    I turned to the cabinet with the euthanasia and connected my okulus to it.  I opened the hacking system and let it run through the numbers and letters until it found the right combination.  The cabinet clicked open. In my hyper-aware state with my adrenaline pumping, I heard the footsteps as they approached further down the hallway.  I quickly grabbed one small shot of euthanasia and closed the cabinet silently. I turned back towards the open doorway just as the human male walked back in.  I hid the shot up my sleeve.


    "I know Dr. Rags said it was okay for you to be in here, but it really is against the rules."


    "I understand," I said.  "Tell him if I think of a better way, I''ll send him a message."


    The human male nodded as I walked passed him and out into the corridor.  I nodded to the little Starwatcher behind the desk.


    "Have a good day," she called after me.


    I waited until I was on the elevator before I sent a message to my mom, Lieutenant Tanpo, Owen, Minmin and Esther.


    ?I have it.


    Esther immediately replied.


    ?I''m almost finished enhancing the disruptor.


    I sent one last message.


    ?Then we kill Other Vai tonight.

 Chapter 34 .

    Vai


    Owen and Minmin kept glancing at me while they sparred - or rather Warpaint''s head, but they knew I was there now.  Other Vai sparred with Lieutenant Tanpo. El watched. She would occasionally give advice. Lieutenant Tanpo was no exception under El''s watchful eye.


    Shel came back in.  His blue eyes flickered to Warpaint''s head before they settled on the rest of the group.  They didn''t need to tell me for me to know that they were planning on killing Other Vai now.  Esther came out of her bedroom.


    Minmin and Owen immediately stopped sparring.


    "Finished with your project?" Minmin asked.


    Esther nodded.


    I glided out of Warpaint and hovered over them.


    "I''ll spar with you now," Esther said to Lieutenant Tanpo.  "Why don''t you let Shel spar with Vai."


    Lieutenant Tanpo and Esther placed themselves behind Vai and Warpaint.  Their eyes lingered on the back of Warpaint. Esther showed Lieutenant Tanpo a small device that looked like the exact one Alessandra had used on Warpaint.


    Don''t hurt Warpaint.  They couldn''t hear me.  Incapacitate him I guess, but don''t hurt him.  He hasn''t been treated right be either me or Other Vai.


    Other Vai jabbed at Shel''s face.  Shel easily dodged. His blue fists were tightly closed.  Other Vai kicked up a knee into Shel''s thigh. Shel didn''t avoid it.  He let it hit him. I knew it must have hurt because I could see the bruise already starting to form underneath the skin with my light.  Shel didn''t show that it hurt. He didn''t try to back away or dodge Other Vai. Instead he stepped in closer. He brought up his right fist to Other Vai''s neck.


    Whatever was in his hand, Other Vai didn''t give him a chance to hurt him with it.  Other Vai blocked Shel''s arm with his left arm and punched Shel in the face with his right hand.


    "Warpaint," Other Vai cried out with clear desperation.  "He''s got something in his hand."


    Shel''s face twisted into something hateful as he glared into Other Vai''s dark eyes.  He took a step back and swiped low with his feet. Other Vai seemed to expect it as he jumped out of the way.  Minmin met him in the air and kicked him squarely in the chest with both feet.


    "Stop," Warpaint demanded as he advanced on them.  "You are the elder''s friends and he is so old. What are you doing?"


    Esther came up behind Warpaint and lifted her hand to place the disruptor on Warpaint''s back.  He spun and knocked her backwards. The disruptor fell to the ground, but didn''t break.


    "I knew you couldn''t be trusted," the mechatronic said to her.  "All these others have been fooled by you."


    A blast of pink power rushed from Esther to Warpaint.  The red quickly spread over his white chrome as it did when he prepared to attack.  The pink power pushed him back only slightly.


    "I won''t let Vai die again," Warpaint said.


    His hand glowed white and a light of Aether snaked across the distance between my mechatronic bodyguard and my friend.  It hit Esther square in the chest and knocked her backwards.


    She didn''t move.  Warpaint sent a second blast her way clearly intending to kill her, but Lieutenant Tanpo bent over Esther and threw her shield up.


    "Stop," Lieutenant Tanpo said to Warpaint.  "We are trying to help Vai."


    "Warpaint," Other Vai cried out.  "Help."


    Minmin was on top of him pinning down his arms.  Her weight wouldn''t have been enough to hold him down, but Shel had grabbed him by his hair with one hand.  Other Vai kicked his legs and tried to maneuver his hips, but he couldn''t break free of them. Shel twisted Other Vai''s head to expose his neck.  In Shel''s free hand was a small shot.


    "Stop!" Warpaint demanded as Shel brought the shot down into Other Vai''s neck.  Warpaint didn''t hesitate as he readied another Aether blast directed at Shel''s head.


    Electricity shot up from Warpaint''s leg and quickly covered his torso and arms.  He stood frozen with his arm outstretched. Before his head froze, my mechatronic looked down at Owen.


    "I''m sorry," Owen whispered.  He took a step back from where he had just placed the disruptor on Warpaint.  Warpaint''s head froze as he looked down.


    I''m sorry.  I knew Warpaint was only a mechatronic, but he really didn''t deserve any of this.  His main task was to protect me and he would think he failed twice.


    I saw it with my green light as Other Vai went to sleep - as his lungs stopped and then his heart.  I settled inside him with my light. His essence was there, but not strong enough to fight me anymore.


    "Vai," Shel said.  I heard it with physical ears.  "You''d better hurry and do whatever you need to and come back to us.  That disruptor isn''t going to hold your bodyguard long."


    I couldn''t spare a moment to look at my bodyguard or try to respond to Shel.  This body was still dead.


    I''m sorry, but you weren''t complete, I said to Other Vai''s essence.  There wasn''t enough of him left to respond.  Come and I''ll take what''s left of you inside of me.  Then we''ll both be whole.  But he retreated - dispersed and then there was nothing left of him.


    I used my light to cleanse the blood and cells.  I restarted the heart, the electrical impulses, the brain functions, the lungs - but I couldn''t open my eyes.  I wasn''t one with the body. I was still attached to Warpaint. That had always been the problem.


    "Vai," Minmin shook the shoulder of the now breathing body.


    I needed to sever the connection to Warpaint.  But what if I did that and still could not connect with my body?  Would I be drifting in this lone spirit form forever?


    Warpaint''s hand flashed down and ripped the disruptor off.


    "You killed him!"


    He didn''t give any of them a chance to answer before he shot white Aether blasts at all of them.  They all managed to dodge out of the way except Lieutenant Tanpo who still had her shield up to protect the unconscious Esther.  Scorch marks were left on the floor and walls.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "The Lieutenant Commander has been informed of your treachery," Warpaint said.


    I drifted out of the breathing body and hovered over Warpaint.  There had to be a way to sever the connection. Perhaps if I could find where it was actually connecting.  It wasn''t the Laumalie preserver.


    "Warpaint," El said, "he is breathing.  We are trying to help Vai. Trust this retired Jo-Dinun."


    "Betrayer!"  A white blast hit El square on, but she had her red shield up and the blast dispersed in harmless glitters.


    "Please, Warpaint," Owen said.  His hands were clenched together tightly over his heart.  "I promise we are helping Vai."


    My connection to Warpaint didn''t go anywhere.  It wasn''t even truly connected to Warpaint. An electrical tingle of panic washed over my spirit.  If I wasn''t really connected to him, then why was I with him this entire time? Why couldn''t I leave him?


    "Your betrayal is the worst of all," Warpaint said to Owen.  "You were his first true friend here."


    A white blast hit Owen and scooted him backwards, but Owen''s shield protected him and he managed to stay on his feet.


    "I would never betray him," Owen said.  Moisture sprang to his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away.  "I may have been his first friend here, but he was my first true friend anywhere."


    And then I saw the truth.  I hadn''t been drawn to Warpaint because of the Laumalie preserver - well maybe at first, but I hadn''t entered the Laumalie preserver.  I had attached myself to Warpaint. It had always been my choice. He was my safe haven. When I disconnected myself from him, what would be left of me?  Would my spirit disperse like Other Vai''s? Would I see a tunnel and join my real mother and the real Vai? I didn''t think that last one was a true possibility.  I wasn''t a real person. I was just a copy.


    "Lies!"  Warpaint blasted Owen''s shield again.  I could see Owen''s yellow light shield weaken.


    If I truly wanted to help my friends now, I needed to connect with the other body.  I had to take the chance that disconnecting myself from Warpaint wasn''t going to destroy me.


    Minmin''s white lightning snaked from her outstretched hand to encompass Warpaint.  He barely paused as he threw another Aether blast at her.


    I severed the tie to Warpaint.  It was hollow. I didn''t disperse, but I was alone.  Completely.


    "Don''t make us destroy you," Shel said.  "Vai won''t like that when he wakes up."


    Warpaint closed the distance between himself and Owen.  He picked up Owen by the neck. Owen''s shield managed to keep out most of the damage, but as Warpaint squeezed, Owen''s shield thinned.


    I entered the body again.  I concentrated on the beat of the heart, the lungs, the blood as it flowed through the veins.  This was me. I forced myself to think that way still not sure how to actually connect myself.


    I heard again with physical ears.  There was shuffling. A lot of footsteps.  Shel''s grunt. The little squeak Minmin sometimes made from her throat.  The ring of metal as something struck it.


    My friends needed me.  Warpaint needed me. My father - my dad needed me.  The Gathering needed me. There were only a handful of us with the light.  We needed to spread it to others before I could die. We needed to win this war against the Corruption.


    I claimed the body as mine.  My spirit and light connected with its center.  I ached. I felt. My eyes fluttered open. The white ceiling greeted me.


    "Owen!" Minmin screamed.


    There was a crash nearby.  I turned my head slowly as it was stiff and unfamiliar.  Owen was crumpled nearby. There were marks on his neck, but he was still alive, just unconscious.


    "Warpaint."  It came out as only a whisper.  I was not used to pushing air through to get sound.


    I stretched out my green light to Owen and Esther and began to heal them.


    "Warpaint," I said louder pushing my diaphragm to get enough air.


    "Vai."  It was Shel''s voice.  In a moment, he bent over me.  Warpaint was suddenly standing next to him and pushed him roughly to the side.


    "Sir," he said.  "You were dead. Your friends betrayed you and killed you."


    I sat up and hugged Warpaint.  He wasn''t warm or soft, but I hugged him anyway.  "I was dead," I said. "I was dead and I attached myself to you.  I watched as my dad put an incomplete version of me inside this body.  I watched as that incomplete version killed innocent K''thaktra."


    Warpaint pulled away from me.  Minmin used the opportunity to crawl between us and hug me.  "Vai," she said. "You did it. You''re back." And then Shel hugged us both from behind.


    "I don''t understand, sir," Warpaint said.


    "I tried to talk to you," I said to Warpaint as I hugged Minmin and Shel''s arms.  "But you couldn''t hear me. My friends could hear me through the light. I told them everything.  I asked them to help me come back."


    "But, sir, what about - Vai?  The Vai your friends killed? I needed to protect him.  I failed your father again."


    Minmin and Shel released me.  Owen groaned as he began to wake.  They left me to help him up. Esther''s honey eyes fluttered open.


    "But Warpaint, I was still here.  I was first. Doesn''t your order to protect me supersede your order to protect the Other Vai?"


    Warpaint thought about that.  The red on his metallic body retreated until he was mostly white again.


    "My friends didn''t betray me, Warpaint.  They saved me."


    "Vai!"  Owen rushed me and hugged me tight completely ignoring my mechatronic bodyguard.


    Esther didn''t say anything, but she rushed to us and wrapped both of us in a hug.


    "Vai, it is you isn''t it?" Esther said.


    "It''s me.  Thank you - all of you - for saving me."


    "It is you?" Warpaint asked.  "The you from Mars? The you who died on Doussix?"


    "It''s me," I said to Warpaint.


    He pulled both my friends off me, but before I could protest he hugged me.  "Sir, I failed you. Forgive me. I''ll never let you down again."


    I patted his metallic head.  It really seemed like he felt some emotion.  Perhaps he was more special than just his bodyguard enhancements my father programmed in him.


    "It wasn''t your fault, Warpaint.  And if I ever try to convince you I will die if I don''t help my friends - don''t believe me.  I''m not going to die."


    The door opened even though no one knocked and no one from the inside opened it.  My dad stepped in looking like he was ready to murder the universe. The door closed behind him.  Warpaint immediately stood at attention.


    "Dad, I''m okay," I said.  His brown eyes drifted to me.  He looked me up and down. His eyes took in the destruction of the room, the marks on Warpaint''s frame.


    "Warpaint, Vai, let''s go."  My dad turned to El. "I will never trust you again."


    He started to the door, but before it opened I said, "Dad."  He paused. I didn''t usually call him dad and I had just done it twice in a row.  I stood up. His back was towards me.


    "It''s me, dad.  I don''t know why your Laumalie preserver didn''t work."


    My dad took a sharp breath in, but didn''t turn.


    "But I''ve been here all along," I said.  "I was surprised to learn I was a clone."  His head bent low. "I was with Warpaint this entire time since I died on Doussix.  I just wasn''t in the preserver. When I saw the clone body, I tried to go inside it, but I couldn''t and then you put in an incomplete version of me."


    His hands began to tremble slightly, but he didn''t turn to face me.


    "Don''t blame El or my friends," I continued.  "It wasn''t their faults. I couldn''t leave Other Vai be when he started killing innocent K''thaktra."


    My father stiffened.  So he knew about the missing K''thaktra.


    "I asked my friends to help me to take my body back."


    "How?" my father asked quietly.  "How did you ask them?"


    "Through the light.  I still have it. I discovered what it does.  I can heal. That''s how I knew I could retake this body once we got rid of Other Vai.  The only way I could come back was to kill him. He wasn''t complete anyway and you know that.  He didn''t feel like he was supposed to feel. I have killed those with the Corruption, but I never killed anyone who was innocent.  Other Vai knew they were innocent. He killed them anyway. I couldn''t stop him. Warpaint couldn''t stop him. This was the only way for me to come back.  Dad . . ." my voice trailed off.


    I waited, but he didn''t say anything.  I couldn''t see his face to read his expression.


    "Can I call you dad?" I asked.  "I know I''m not the original Vai, but I thought about it and decided you are still my dad.  You created me. I have original Vai''s memories, but I also have my own memories. I understand now.  I''m sorry I wasn''t more understanding before when I first woke up on Mars. I''m sorry I pushed you away."


    My dad turned to face me.  His cheeks were wet with tears.  He barreled down on me and grasped me in a tight hug.


    "Son," his voice was quiet.  "I''m sorry, son. I''m sorry I didn''t know you were here all along.  I''m sorry I couldn''t put you back in this body myself. I''m sorry you had to do all this by yourself."


    I returned his hug and for the first time since I woke up on Mars I felt the familial affection I should have felt all along.  There was no more resentment.


    "I wasn''t alone," I said.  "I had my friends. They heard me because of the light.  I won''t lie to you anymore, but I won''t stop fighting the Corruption.  I will continue to use my light. The Gathering need us."


    My father nodded with his head buried in my shoulder.  He slowly pulled away and said, "You know you''ve given highly classified information to everyone in this room."


    "I know," I said, "but they already had classified information - the miasmids."


    My dad sighed out.  "I will help you fight them.  I won''t doubt you again."

 Interlude 8 .

    Thrissko


    "We''ve docked, Captain," Igwe said to Svolun.


    "Give the order to proceed," Svolun said to Igwe.  I had agreed to make it seem like he still had authority when he was in front of his crew, but he and I both knew the miasmids now favored me over him.


    "Board and oversee that everything is proceeding according to plan," Svolun said to me.


    I nodded and left the bridge.  Sally by my side and the Brist that I had taken with us when we first boarded the Armstar.  He had started following the two of us around.  I was fine with it. Sally seemed to like him. I had no idea what he was trying to say unless the miasmids helped me figure it out.  Usually they didn''t. He said the word skisrams a lot so I started calling him skis as if that was his name. He didn''t protest. Or if he did, I didn''t understand so it didn''t matter anyway.


    We exited the elevator and made our way to the docking bay.  Groups were already boarding the Tuth''kiran - one of two K''thaktran war ships we would capture this day.  Of course we had help from the inside disabling the ships, but most of the K''thaktra on board did not have the blessed miasmids yet.


    I led Sally and Skis on board.  Many of my fellow K''thaktra already writhed on the orange floor of the ship.  Transportation crystals were set on the floor. There was a pink haze all along the lower corridors.  The K''thaktra that were standing greeted me with pink in their eyes.


    There was fighting by the elevators.  I led Sally and Skis passed them. We went up to the next level.  The pink haze of miasmids had not reached this level. Fighting rang out all around us - K''thaktra against K''thaktra, K''thaktra against Bundu-Jo, Starwatchers, Humans and Brist.  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    A group of K''thaktra without the pink in their eyes tried to rush passed us onto the elevators.  Skis kicked one behind the knee. The red K''thaktra fell forward and before he could stand, Skis was on him punching the back of his head with all his might.


    Sally stabbed the nearest K''thaktra in the leg between the plates of his exoskeleton just as I had showed her.  A strange pride welled up inside me at the sight and the miasmids filled me with pleasure.


    A third K''thaktra tried to yank Sally away from the other one, but I grabbed the back of his head and pushed him down slamming his head into the hard floor with a loud crunch.  I didn''t think he was dead, but he didn''t move so I wasn''t sure. The two remaining K''thaktra attacked me at once while Skis punched his unmoving K''thaktra and Sally continued to stab her K''thaktra in various breaks in the exoskeleton.  He tried to grab her, but she skittered out of the way and then moved back in.


    "Why are you doing this?" One of the K''thaktra in front of me asked.  I smiled. The pink smoke drifted onto this level from below.


    The two K''thaktra on the floor began to scream.  I punched one of the K''thaktra in front of me. I made sure the barbs on the back of my hand caught the soft part of his eyelid.  He cried out in pain and stepped away from me. His hands covered his eye, but red blood began to drip from his hands and face.


    The last K''thaktra tried to grab onto me - tried to hook onto me with his barbs.  It was a fighting technique common with my species and I was familiar with it. What wasn''t common with my species was boxing.  I brought my fist up in an uppercut to his face. I made sure the barbs on the back of my hand cut through all the soft parts on a K''thaktra''s face - the lips, parts of the nose, the area around the eyes.


    The K''thaktra with the bloody eye recovered his wits enough to try and attack me from behind, but Sally and Skis attacked him together.


    I scooped up handfuls of the pink miasmids and pushed them into the K''thaktra in front of me.  I targeted his cut mouth and nose.


    "Breathe them all in," I said.  I pressed in another handful. "They will give you such pleasure you''ve never known."


    The K''thaktra behind me started to scream with the pleasant sound that the miasmids were inside him.


    Sally and Skis stood by my side and watched as I scooped up another handful.  "Don''t fight them. They are our future."


    The K''thaktra in front of me began to scream.