Spring Changes, page 15
At the edge of the landing zone, several med shuttles and people rushed over, more people than I’d seen in a while.
Doctor Herin knocked on my chip. “Eject, Kyle, we’ve got you.”
I did so and slid to the ground, the damp soaking through to my skin instantly. I shivered.
He was with me in seconds, holding out a bottle. I took it off him, downing the liquid fuel as fast as possible. “Thank you.”
“Of course. General Veti comm’d for us.”
“Xirob?” I asked.
“Yes. I’ve been watching your vitals, Kyle—”
“I’m okay,” I panted. “I lost the joint stats. It just wiped me out.”
“Let’s get you to the med hangar, all of you. We’ll make sure you’re given everything you need.”
“Edward?”
He looked down the line, his face disgusted. “I’ll shove him to the other side of the bay.”
He offered me a hand and I took it, standing. Then I tentatively walked with him, the others following.
I checked over my health on the short shuttle ride, seeing how much we’d screwed ourselves up.
We’re okay, Hiroto said. I don’t know how I might be, if I ever get the chance to have another body. But for now, I feel just like you do, weak but okay.
Once in the hangar and settled on a bed, we looked over all the changes. Kenosi had the largest jump and I was floored by the amount of ranks I’d gone up in everything I needed for a mega mech merge. Now, I might have more than enough of a chance on my own. Well, at least when I recovered. This was the good news I needed, and I let out a deep breath.
Kyle Ranz - Contains -
Name - Hiroto Toshiaki
Human Consciousness
Name - Xe
Species - Trion
Name - Kyle Ranz
Species - Unknown
Year of Death - 2629
Class = Fighter/Sorcerer
Age 18 + 2
Level = 70
Respawns = 7
Mech Command
Memories = 86%
Health = 88%
Kenosi = Rank 165
Kenosi Merge - Rank Master
Nanites/Trion x 184,532
Body Type = Denti
Structural Integrity = Silver
Internal AI Chip = AX 717 - Drudel X Class
Skin Strength = 103
Blood Capacity = 86
Healing Speed = 96
Overall Personal Level = 934
Strength = 131
Dexterity = 112
Constitution = 364
Intelligence = 283
Wisdom = 156
Charisma = 40
Luck = 62
Quick Points = 2
Mech Warrior Operational Level = 312
Mech Command - Rank 55
Battle Mage - Rank 112
Mech Pilot - Rank 93
Nanite Engineer - Rank 107
Nanite Factory - 101
Human/Machine Interface - Rank 106
Mech Merge - Rank 97
Mech Remote Control - Rank 29
Remote Control - All - Rank 38
Mega Merge - Rank 26
Molecular Insight - Rank 78
Molecular Manipulation - Rank 56
Acceleration/Deceleration - Rank 50
Combustion - Rank 13
Reversion - Rank 12
Soul Split - Rank 15
Vrolsh Coding Learned
CAD Tech - Rank 21
Kiain Language - Rank 6
Emaxyol Language - Rank 1
Drop Ship Pilot - Rank 15
Shuttle Operator - Rank 17
Freighter Operator - Rank 13
Computer Science - Rank 12
Electronics and Communication - Rank 17
Electrical Engineering - Rank 18
Mechanical Engineering - Rank 21
Information Technology - Rank 24
Hacker - Rank 39
Foot Soldier - Rank 50
Merc - Rank 38
Sniper - Rank 22
Gun Smith - Rank 21
Shadow Awareness - Maxed out
Future Insight - Rank 20
Reconstruction Expertise - Rank 30
Null Gravity Management – Rank 23
Sword Play - Rank 86
Emergency Medicine - Rank 18
Psychology - Non Human - Rank 23
Psychology - Human/Denti - Rank 43
Muscle Healing - Rank 25
Poison Resistance - Rank 24
Viral Fighting - Rank 15
Night Sight - Rank 32
Deception - Rank 50
Negotiator - Rank 76
Detective - Rank 15
Space Politics - Rank 40
Animal Handling - Rank 15
Intelligence = You are smart already. + 20 Intelligence, + 20 Wisdom, + 20 Charisma, + 20 Luck
Special Traits Awarded x 2 – Any extras here do not show on your Stat Sheet Totals.
Shade Brain – 1 in a million, you managed to not only keep your memories, but you can also hide them. Your character sheet is elusive to even the strongest of will. UPGRADED - No one can penetrate your Shade now!
Spells - Active - Intensive Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 50
These new spells increase not only the strength and speed of your Healing, but the distance you can use it.
Spells - Active - Slow Fire Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 120
Spells - Active - Medium Fire Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 150
Spells - Passive - Rapid Fire Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 200
Spell - Active - Lightning Fury – Requires Kenosi of Rank 20 – Damage increased by 50%
Spell - Fortified Tattoo - You have been gifted the crest of a God - When active, this increases your - kenosi x 20, and all stats x 20. You may only use this once per day. Lasts as long as your kenosi does, kenosi strength dependent.
Particle Projectile Cannon
Uses energy direct from kenosi reserves.
Can store within battery compartments to aid when needed.
Special attributes – when inside a mech it will enlarge to the size needed by its soul bonded owner.
A commotion at the top side of the hangar caught both our attention away from my stat sheet.
“Edward . . .” I said.
“Could be no one else as demanding. I should go see what he’s up to now.”
I moved away with him to the other side of the hangar. Edward was with Trin and Luke, but he was also kicking off at Trin. I couldn’t understand the why from their body language.
“What’s going on?” Herin asked.
Trin looked to him, and I could just see the slight edge of a bruise developing. My fists flexed. If he’d hurt her at all, Frenk wouldn’t stand for it, and neither would I.
“My patient here won’t let me draw his blood, and I need to get kenosi flow readings. He’s showing signs of decomposition.”
I looked at Luke and he nodded at me.
“You need to let Trin take blood,” Herin insisted. “Either you do, or you don’t and I’ll pull you.”
Is that serious? I asked Hiroto.
I’ve just checked. But, yes, if kenosi reaches full depletion. It can be deadly.
Depletion? The door opened and in stepped General Veti with Lance and her younger brother. What did he do out there? If he had no kenosi left?
General Veti didn’t hesitate and came straight for us here. Edward squirmed in front of her. They clearly meant business.
“Edward Kerns,” the general said. “You are hereby removed from lead until further investigation. Your inaction in the field while Sector Ten was under unprecedented attack cannot go unpunished, despite your final efforts. You put your team in jeopardy.”
“You can’t do this,” he begged. When General Veti didn’t back down, his face dropped. “My family!”
General Ohara stepped closer. “Your family watched your actions from the drop ship cammos. There’s no commander out there that would put you in the lead of a team with behaviour like that. If Dame and Kyle hadn’t been there to correct your pathetic orders, and fight with everything they had, we would have lost that sector.” Edward’s face paled, but she gave him both barrels. “That is unacceptable. You were backup to one of my top teams. If I’d lost any of those, respawn or not, that would have put them out of action for days. We cannot afford that.”
“You’re to be escorted off base,” Lance said. “As soon as Doctor Herin is finished with you.”
Ohara looked at me. “With me. Now.”
She turned on her heels and walked out. Lance and Eles stayed.
Trin smiled and flicked the needle once more. I left, hurriedly following Ohara who stood tapping her foot by the door.
“There’s a shuttle waiting for us to take you to see my . . . Field Marshall Venkath.”
I looked behind me to see Imehia and Miquel join us. “Family reunion?” I asked.
A frown touched the sides of her usually stoic face. She’d looked flustered only a couple of times; this was one of them. “There’s something you all need to hear, but he only wants family for now. We’ll seek out command and others when we’ve discussed the repercussions.”
I traded glances with her Miquel and Imehia, and she stepped out of the doorway. “While we’re on our way, I want you to tell me everything since your arrival, even if you think I know it. I want to hear all of this in your words.”
“Where are we going?” Miquel asked.
She didn’t look at him when she said, “The Soteria.”
15
I didn’t have a clue what that was. While we walked and then climbed into the shuttle, Hiroto started to search straight away to find out anything he could on the ship.
Weirdly, there’s nothing, he said in the end.
“How long will it take to get us there?” I asked Miquel.
“I don’t know. I had no idea the Soteria was even in this area of space.”
We sat on the shuttle, and Ohara stared at me. “Please, tell me everything. Don’t hold back.”
I blew out a breath, and so I began. I started with the things she obviously knew and then drew in to closer events. This took some time; we swapped from the bus to a shuttle. There were a few embellishments from Miquel and Imehia as I talked. Then as we exited space, a ship appeared. The shuttle drew straight up to it and then docked on it. We stayed where we were, though I felt the larger ship fire up and move. I carried on to more recent events where she knew what had happened but not the full story, and I explained everything.
“I am greatly saddened you all had to go through that.” Ohara then did something I wasn’t expecting: she moved next to Imehia and hugged her. Imehia wrapped her arms around Ohara and squeezed.
Seeing the two sisters do this filled me with emotion. Ohara paused before she looked at Miquel.
“Brother,” she said. Miquel’s eyes twinkled, but he opened his arms to her. “I am sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry for many things. But I need you both right now.”
Miquel’s eyes met mine, and I really didn’t know what to say or do. This family had some issues, but it looked to me like they wanted to heal.
I turned away while they talked for a little while, and the darkness of space comforted me. There in the distance, I saw something twinkling. We drew in closer, and closer.
Hiroto?
That is, I believe, the Soteria.
The ship grew. I moved closer to the port to see.
“Kyle, you’ve never seen a world ship before?” Ohara asked.
I glanced back at her. She sat squished between her siblings. She moved to sit back with me, her emotion gone, but her posture friendly now.
“No, I haven’t seen one before,” I said. “The whole thing was built?”
“Built and constructed by some of the best denti minds ever.” She smiled.
The closer we drew to it, the more I was in awe. In minutes, it filled my view, and I could see nothing but the ship.
By the time we were coming into dock with the Soteria, I’d finished the rest of my story, with Miquel and Imehia helping to fill in with their own experiences. Ohara listened and didn’t interrupt, but she looked saddened by all of it.
“The Soteria is extremely busy,” she said and stood. “Stick close to me. Don’t get distracted—we’re going straight for the heart of her and Central Command.”
“There’s just denti here?”
“Many other species,” Ohara said. “But she does have the denti queen onboard.”
Both Imehia and Miquel flinched. “She has come here specifically to meet you all.”
“What about my team?” I asked. “They’d love to meet her too.”
“She wants to meet them,” Ohara said. “But at the moment it’s not possible for her to be away from the ship.”
“How far away from Armastai and the rift are we?” Miquel asked.
“We made a small jump, but we are far enough away that it would take a while in a normal ship.”
“I won’t . . . like . . . goddamn, I’m nervous,” I said and swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry.
“Kyle, don’t worry.” Ohara smiled at me. “She’s wonderful. Strong, decisive.”
We disembarked to a hangar as big as the training base on Armastai. My eyes didn’t know where to look first. Miquel and Imehia flanked me while I walked behind Ohara.
The floor was colour coded, and we followed a yellow line. At the end of the line, an entourage of others, military, waited. At the centre of them stood Xirob. I smiled at him, and he dipped his head my way.
“We are to go straight to her.” He turned to walk and Imehia and Miquel let me move in closer to him.
“Hey,” I said. “Good to see you.”
“Kyle, it is always good to see you. You did well in Sector Ten.”
“I did what I had to to survive,” I said. “The same as I would at any time.”
“I watched you throw up that shield, Kyle. Something even I couldn’t have held.”
“I had a little help,” I admitted. “I’m sure Doctor Herin’s shared my stats with at least you and the queen.”
“He did. I am sad you lost the stats, but I also think you’ll attain that level at some point yourself in the future. You got a taste of your future, Kyle. I am certain of it.”
“The rift?”
“We’re struggling with it.” His eyes met mine and worry flickered across his brow.
“You mentioned that.” I sighed. “I didn’t realise it was so bad out there.”
“Trainees see it, but they don’t understand till they are first out there.”
“It looks surreal, that’s why. And no one wants to think it’s real.”
That was a given. Those creatures. The sheer amount of weaponry. They were doing everything they could to get through. They really wanted in.
Xirob moved in closer. “Cassie does want to meet you. I am afraid she also won’t allow me in when you are.”
“Oh.” I was taken aback by this.
“Don’t worry, she is wonderful,” he almost cooed.
Ahead of us there was a massive, almost glass-structured lifting system. Not much unlike the tubes and lifts that Borix had on Tolsa.
The entourage with us flanked the lift, and Xirob palmed for a carriage. When the doors opened, it was easily large enough to fit us all in, but he motioned for just me, Ohara and his family. The others stayed outside.
I stood before the see-through panes. The massive ship before me zipped past. There were things I couldn’t fathom, and even Hiroto didn’t know what we were whizzing on by.
We seemed to go for miles and miles. Because we actually did. “How far have we travelled?”
“In your terms, a good few thousand miles. Deep inside the station to the Royal Palace. Contained within very protected walls.”
“It’s amazing how fast this thing moves.”
“A necessity when the world ship is so large.”
“I can only imagine. It’s the size of a moon. I was thinking of Earth’s moon. Compared to the Earth herself. A whole world fully built inside, safe.”
I wonder how it’s powered, let alone how it can move freely in space with all the different gravitational forces around it. Even those it creates itself, Hiroto pondered.
I’d never thought of that, but it made sense. There must be something really huge at the centre of this to power it.
“She is an engineering feat beyond anything I could ever comprehend,” Imehia said. “Beautiful, technical, and powerful.”
“No kidding,” I replied.
The carriage slowed and things came into focus some more. We were actually now drifting, free flying over an extremely large and well-gunned military wall.
“She needs protection even in her own world ship?” I asked.
“It is, of course, more for show than anything. She is the most powerful denti I know, and I doubt anything could get on the inside of the ship, let alone anywhere near her.”
We passed over it, the thickness enough to hold back an ocean. “I guess better to be safer than sorry.”
The carriage moved to come into land, just like a little shuttle might, and I realised it was exactly that, a shuttle that moved in and around the world ship as and where it was required.
The landing was soft. The door opened and the wonderful aroma of fresh cut flowers permeated the air. There were no other words for the palace spread before us. But Xirob didn’t seem fazed at all. When he walked off, it was to the left.
“Are we not heading in?” Miquel asked.
“Cassie has another meeting place for us. You will wait with myself while she speaks with Kyle and her other guest.”
“There’s someone else here as well?”
It didn’t take us long to walk to where he wanted me to carry on from. But he’d never answered my question. Ahead, there were more guards, and Xirob just pointed and said, “Follow them through to the lake. She will be waiting for you.”
Doctor Herin knocked on my chip. “Eject, Kyle, we’ve got you.”
I did so and slid to the ground, the damp soaking through to my skin instantly. I shivered.
He was with me in seconds, holding out a bottle. I took it off him, downing the liquid fuel as fast as possible. “Thank you.”
“Of course. General Veti comm’d for us.”
“Xirob?” I asked.
“Yes. I’ve been watching your vitals, Kyle—”
“I’m okay,” I panted. “I lost the joint stats. It just wiped me out.”
“Let’s get you to the med hangar, all of you. We’ll make sure you’re given everything you need.”
“Edward?”
He looked down the line, his face disgusted. “I’ll shove him to the other side of the bay.”
He offered me a hand and I took it, standing. Then I tentatively walked with him, the others following.
I checked over my health on the short shuttle ride, seeing how much we’d screwed ourselves up.
We’re okay, Hiroto said. I don’t know how I might be, if I ever get the chance to have another body. But for now, I feel just like you do, weak but okay.
Once in the hangar and settled on a bed, we looked over all the changes. Kenosi had the largest jump and I was floored by the amount of ranks I’d gone up in everything I needed for a mega mech merge. Now, I might have more than enough of a chance on my own. Well, at least when I recovered. This was the good news I needed, and I let out a deep breath.
Kyle Ranz - Contains -
Name - Hiroto Toshiaki
Human Consciousness
Name - Xe
Species - Trion
Name - Kyle Ranz
Species - Unknown
Year of Death - 2629
Class = Fighter/Sorcerer
Age 18 + 2
Level = 70
Respawns = 7
Mech Command
Memories = 86%
Health = 88%
Kenosi = Rank 165
Kenosi Merge - Rank Master
Nanites/Trion x 184,532
Body Type = Denti
Structural Integrity = Silver
Internal AI Chip = AX 717 - Drudel X Class
Skin Strength = 103
Blood Capacity = 86
Healing Speed = 96
Overall Personal Level = 934
Strength = 131
Dexterity = 112
Constitution = 364
Intelligence = 283
Wisdom = 156
Charisma = 40
Luck = 62
Quick Points = 2
Mech Warrior Operational Level = 312
Mech Command - Rank 55
Battle Mage - Rank 112
Mech Pilot - Rank 93
Nanite Engineer - Rank 107
Nanite Factory - 101
Human/Machine Interface - Rank 106
Mech Merge - Rank 97
Mech Remote Control - Rank 29
Remote Control - All - Rank 38
Mega Merge - Rank 26
Molecular Insight - Rank 78
Molecular Manipulation - Rank 56
Acceleration/Deceleration - Rank 50
Combustion - Rank 13
Reversion - Rank 12
Soul Split - Rank 15
Vrolsh Coding Learned
CAD Tech - Rank 21
Kiain Language - Rank 6
Emaxyol Language - Rank 1
Drop Ship Pilot - Rank 15
Shuttle Operator - Rank 17
Freighter Operator - Rank 13
Computer Science - Rank 12
Electronics and Communication - Rank 17
Electrical Engineering - Rank 18
Mechanical Engineering - Rank 21
Information Technology - Rank 24
Hacker - Rank 39
Foot Soldier - Rank 50
Merc - Rank 38
Sniper - Rank 22
Gun Smith - Rank 21
Shadow Awareness - Maxed out
Future Insight - Rank 20
Reconstruction Expertise - Rank 30
Null Gravity Management – Rank 23
Sword Play - Rank 86
Emergency Medicine - Rank 18
Psychology - Non Human - Rank 23
Psychology - Human/Denti - Rank 43
Muscle Healing - Rank 25
Poison Resistance - Rank 24
Viral Fighting - Rank 15
Night Sight - Rank 32
Deception - Rank 50
Negotiator - Rank 76
Detective - Rank 15
Space Politics - Rank 40
Animal Handling - Rank 15
Intelligence = You are smart already. + 20 Intelligence, + 20 Wisdom, + 20 Charisma, + 20 Luck
Special Traits Awarded x 2 – Any extras here do not show on your Stat Sheet Totals.
Shade Brain – 1 in a million, you managed to not only keep your memories, but you can also hide them. Your character sheet is elusive to even the strongest of will. UPGRADED - No one can penetrate your Shade now!
Spells - Active - Intensive Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 50
These new spells increase not only the strength and speed of your Healing, but the distance you can use it.
Spells - Active - Slow Fire Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 120
Spells - Active - Medium Fire Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 150
Spells - Passive - Rapid Fire Healing = Requires Kenosi of Rank 200
Spell - Active - Lightning Fury – Requires Kenosi of Rank 20 – Damage increased by 50%
Spell - Fortified Tattoo - You have been gifted the crest of a God - When active, this increases your - kenosi x 20, and all stats x 20. You may only use this once per day. Lasts as long as your kenosi does, kenosi strength dependent.
Particle Projectile Cannon
Uses energy direct from kenosi reserves.
Can store within battery compartments to aid when needed.
Special attributes – when inside a mech it will enlarge to the size needed by its soul bonded owner.
A commotion at the top side of the hangar caught both our attention away from my stat sheet.
“Edward . . .” I said.
“Could be no one else as demanding. I should go see what he’s up to now.”
I moved away with him to the other side of the hangar. Edward was with Trin and Luke, but he was also kicking off at Trin. I couldn’t understand the why from their body language.
“What’s going on?” Herin asked.
Trin looked to him, and I could just see the slight edge of a bruise developing. My fists flexed. If he’d hurt her at all, Frenk wouldn’t stand for it, and neither would I.
“My patient here won’t let me draw his blood, and I need to get kenosi flow readings. He’s showing signs of decomposition.”
I looked at Luke and he nodded at me.
“You need to let Trin take blood,” Herin insisted. “Either you do, or you don’t and I’ll pull you.”
Is that serious? I asked Hiroto.
I’ve just checked. But, yes, if kenosi reaches full depletion. It can be deadly.
Depletion? The door opened and in stepped General Veti with Lance and her younger brother. What did he do out there? If he had no kenosi left?
General Veti didn’t hesitate and came straight for us here. Edward squirmed in front of her. They clearly meant business.
“Edward Kerns,” the general said. “You are hereby removed from lead until further investigation. Your inaction in the field while Sector Ten was under unprecedented attack cannot go unpunished, despite your final efforts. You put your team in jeopardy.”
“You can’t do this,” he begged. When General Veti didn’t back down, his face dropped. “My family!”
General Ohara stepped closer. “Your family watched your actions from the drop ship cammos. There’s no commander out there that would put you in the lead of a team with behaviour like that. If Dame and Kyle hadn’t been there to correct your pathetic orders, and fight with everything they had, we would have lost that sector.” Edward’s face paled, but she gave him both barrels. “That is unacceptable. You were backup to one of my top teams. If I’d lost any of those, respawn or not, that would have put them out of action for days. We cannot afford that.”
“You’re to be escorted off base,” Lance said. “As soon as Doctor Herin is finished with you.”
Ohara looked at me. “With me. Now.”
She turned on her heels and walked out. Lance and Eles stayed.
Trin smiled and flicked the needle once more. I left, hurriedly following Ohara who stood tapping her foot by the door.
“There’s a shuttle waiting for us to take you to see my . . . Field Marshall Venkath.”
I looked behind me to see Imehia and Miquel join us. “Family reunion?” I asked.
A frown touched the sides of her usually stoic face. She’d looked flustered only a couple of times; this was one of them. “There’s something you all need to hear, but he only wants family for now. We’ll seek out command and others when we’ve discussed the repercussions.”
I traded glances with her Miquel and Imehia, and she stepped out of the doorway. “While we’re on our way, I want you to tell me everything since your arrival, even if you think I know it. I want to hear all of this in your words.”
“Where are we going?” Miquel asked.
She didn’t look at him when she said, “The Soteria.”
15
I didn’t have a clue what that was. While we walked and then climbed into the shuttle, Hiroto started to search straight away to find out anything he could on the ship.
Weirdly, there’s nothing, he said in the end.
“How long will it take to get us there?” I asked Miquel.
“I don’t know. I had no idea the Soteria was even in this area of space.”
We sat on the shuttle, and Ohara stared at me. “Please, tell me everything. Don’t hold back.”
I blew out a breath, and so I began. I started with the things she obviously knew and then drew in to closer events. This took some time; we swapped from the bus to a shuttle. There were a few embellishments from Miquel and Imehia as I talked. Then as we exited space, a ship appeared. The shuttle drew straight up to it and then docked on it. We stayed where we were, though I felt the larger ship fire up and move. I carried on to more recent events where she knew what had happened but not the full story, and I explained everything.
“I am greatly saddened you all had to go through that.” Ohara then did something I wasn’t expecting: she moved next to Imehia and hugged her. Imehia wrapped her arms around Ohara and squeezed.
Seeing the two sisters do this filled me with emotion. Ohara paused before she looked at Miquel.
“Brother,” she said. Miquel’s eyes twinkled, but he opened his arms to her. “I am sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry for many things. But I need you both right now.”
Miquel’s eyes met mine, and I really didn’t know what to say or do. This family had some issues, but it looked to me like they wanted to heal.
I turned away while they talked for a little while, and the darkness of space comforted me. There in the distance, I saw something twinkling. We drew in closer, and closer.
Hiroto?
That is, I believe, the Soteria.
The ship grew. I moved closer to the port to see.
“Kyle, you’ve never seen a world ship before?” Ohara asked.
I glanced back at her. She sat squished between her siblings. She moved to sit back with me, her emotion gone, but her posture friendly now.
“No, I haven’t seen one before,” I said. “The whole thing was built?”
“Built and constructed by some of the best denti minds ever.” She smiled.
The closer we drew to it, the more I was in awe. In minutes, it filled my view, and I could see nothing but the ship.
By the time we were coming into dock with the Soteria, I’d finished the rest of my story, with Miquel and Imehia helping to fill in with their own experiences. Ohara listened and didn’t interrupt, but she looked saddened by all of it.
“The Soteria is extremely busy,” she said and stood. “Stick close to me. Don’t get distracted—we’re going straight for the heart of her and Central Command.”
“There’s just denti here?”
“Many other species,” Ohara said. “But she does have the denti queen onboard.”
Both Imehia and Miquel flinched. “She has come here specifically to meet you all.”
“What about my team?” I asked. “They’d love to meet her too.”
“She wants to meet them,” Ohara said. “But at the moment it’s not possible for her to be away from the ship.”
“How far away from Armastai and the rift are we?” Miquel asked.
“We made a small jump, but we are far enough away that it would take a while in a normal ship.”
“I won’t . . . like . . . goddamn, I’m nervous,” I said and swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry.
“Kyle, don’t worry.” Ohara smiled at me. “She’s wonderful. Strong, decisive.”
We disembarked to a hangar as big as the training base on Armastai. My eyes didn’t know where to look first. Miquel and Imehia flanked me while I walked behind Ohara.
The floor was colour coded, and we followed a yellow line. At the end of the line, an entourage of others, military, waited. At the centre of them stood Xirob. I smiled at him, and he dipped his head my way.
“We are to go straight to her.” He turned to walk and Imehia and Miquel let me move in closer to him.
“Hey,” I said. “Good to see you.”
“Kyle, it is always good to see you. You did well in Sector Ten.”
“I did what I had to to survive,” I said. “The same as I would at any time.”
“I watched you throw up that shield, Kyle. Something even I couldn’t have held.”
“I had a little help,” I admitted. “I’m sure Doctor Herin’s shared my stats with at least you and the queen.”
“He did. I am sad you lost the stats, but I also think you’ll attain that level at some point yourself in the future. You got a taste of your future, Kyle. I am certain of it.”
“The rift?”
“We’re struggling with it.” His eyes met mine and worry flickered across his brow.
“You mentioned that.” I sighed. “I didn’t realise it was so bad out there.”
“Trainees see it, but they don’t understand till they are first out there.”
“It looks surreal, that’s why. And no one wants to think it’s real.”
That was a given. Those creatures. The sheer amount of weaponry. They were doing everything they could to get through. They really wanted in.
Xirob moved in closer. “Cassie does want to meet you. I am afraid she also won’t allow me in when you are.”
“Oh.” I was taken aback by this.
“Don’t worry, she is wonderful,” he almost cooed.
Ahead of us there was a massive, almost glass-structured lifting system. Not much unlike the tubes and lifts that Borix had on Tolsa.
The entourage with us flanked the lift, and Xirob palmed for a carriage. When the doors opened, it was easily large enough to fit us all in, but he motioned for just me, Ohara and his family. The others stayed outside.
I stood before the see-through panes. The massive ship before me zipped past. There were things I couldn’t fathom, and even Hiroto didn’t know what we were whizzing on by.
We seemed to go for miles and miles. Because we actually did. “How far have we travelled?”
“In your terms, a good few thousand miles. Deep inside the station to the Royal Palace. Contained within very protected walls.”
“It’s amazing how fast this thing moves.”
“A necessity when the world ship is so large.”
“I can only imagine. It’s the size of a moon. I was thinking of Earth’s moon. Compared to the Earth herself. A whole world fully built inside, safe.”
I wonder how it’s powered, let alone how it can move freely in space with all the different gravitational forces around it. Even those it creates itself, Hiroto pondered.
I’d never thought of that, but it made sense. There must be something really huge at the centre of this to power it.
“She is an engineering feat beyond anything I could ever comprehend,” Imehia said. “Beautiful, technical, and powerful.”
“No kidding,” I replied.
The carriage slowed and things came into focus some more. We were actually now drifting, free flying over an extremely large and well-gunned military wall.
“She needs protection even in her own world ship?” I asked.
“It is, of course, more for show than anything. She is the most powerful denti I know, and I doubt anything could get on the inside of the ship, let alone anywhere near her.”
We passed over it, the thickness enough to hold back an ocean. “I guess better to be safer than sorry.”
The carriage moved to come into land, just like a little shuttle might, and I realised it was exactly that, a shuttle that moved in and around the world ship as and where it was required.
The landing was soft. The door opened and the wonderful aroma of fresh cut flowers permeated the air. There were no other words for the palace spread before us. But Xirob didn’t seem fazed at all. When he walked off, it was to the left.
“Are we not heading in?” Miquel asked.
“Cassie has another meeting place for us. You will wait with myself while she speaks with Kyle and her other guest.”
“There’s someone else here as well?”
It didn’t take us long to walk to where he wanted me to carry on from. But he’d never answered my question. Ahead, there were more guards, and Xirob just pointed and said, “Follow them through to the lake. She will be waiting for you.”
