The next three years flew by unhindered. Now nineteen years of age, Kria was free of having to hide her secret from several hundred students and now spending her time keeping herself, and others, safe. She had begun researching about people born with unnatural abilities and yet found nothing, no matter how deeply she dug into libraries or past research logs from critically acclaimed scientists.
Kria had also kept close to the news after her brother left. In the past year alone, UIT expansion operations had led to the colonisation of another four worlds, meaning that Draen was now the 16th newest colony in the Imperium, although it was still on the border. Much had happened in Terran space over the last couple of years; a series of brutal murders spanning three star systems, a rebel leader had been assassinated by special forces and several platoons of Imperium marines had been slaughtered by an 'unknown force' just ahead of the expeditionary fleet on Grohm III. The Imperium was always full of trouble. More locally, excavators had found something in the Fi'Kar desert, around fifteen kilometres to the north west of Draen, although, as usual with the Imperium, they never said what they had dug up. Some townsfolk said it was an old ruin, built originally by the 'Azhub-Hadrim', a mythical arachnid race that could manipulate the stars and had used Ranala III as a testing ground for genetically engineered bio-mechanical war machines. Others with a more stable outlook on life believed a variety of less far fetched theories; a new mineral or element, the fossil of an ancient species, even that it wasn't an excavation at all but the construction of a new military research base. Kria did not know which to believe, she only knew that it something worth keeping an eye on. Nothing on this backwater planet was important enough for an Ares-class Imperium Battlecruiser to be in orbit...
Kria stood in the centre of her room, the eyes of her Advent 10 posters looking down at her. Before her on the cold floor was a set of dog tags, reading 'Kael Artessan #26381-P'. Kria's eyes were focussed on the gray plated tags and their gold stamped corners. She took in a deep breath, then flicked her right arm towards the tags, hand outstretched. She sighed in disappointment as nothing happened. She reached out again, piercing the last memory of her brother with her glass green eyes. Her arm dropped to her side and she stared at the tags with a frown.
"Come on Kael, help your sister out here. Give me something at least".
She tried again. Nothing. She had tried this exercise at least once a day since Kael was killed last year on Malchir, a small planetoid owned by the Albatross mercenary band, and still there was no sign of her secret reemerging. She hadn't had a single inkling since the accident with Ariana.
She stared down the tags once more, her face the image of self hate. Kria extended her arm towards the tags on the floor, remembering her other episodes; the speedbike, Ariana. She should have died, but no, the biker died in what appeared to be just a highway crash. Ariana died because of her, because she couldn't tell her what she was. Two people died because of her, why should she live? Why should she carry on living as a freak scared to let her emotions overrule her?
Her body shook and a bolt of purple energy struck the tags. Kria stood in awe at what she'd just done. For the first time, she had used her curse of her own accord.
"Thanks, Kael" she whispered with a slight smile.
She repeated her thought process. Again, a purple bolt of energy impacted the tags, albeit only moving them a few inches across the floor and leaving no marks. She picked up the tags and clipped them around her neck, tucking the plates beneath her shirt. Swiftly, she sat down in her ergonomic computer chair and swiped a hand over her oak brown desk. A holographic display flickered into life. Kria looked at Kael's tags again, running her fingers over the engravings.
"Come on, we're gonna be late!" Urged the girl, nearly dragging her father through the spaceport. Draen's spaceport wasn't big, it saw little traffic and was arranged with four rectangular docks in a brick formation. Two of the docks were always full, one with a freighter running shipments of Ranalan rice between Draen and Filo Prime, the other bringing in supplies for construction projects. Today was a special occasion; all the docks were full.
The girl and her parents ran out onto one of the landing pads, a large military troop transport lay in the centre, crowded by friends and families. The girl broke off from her parents and pushed through the crowd, desperately trying to reach the marine cadets who were clambering aboard.
"Kael! Get here damn you! Give your little sister a hug!" Cried the girl.
A tall young man jogged down the long loading ramp, his eyes searching the crowd for the voice when he stopped. The girl burst from the throng of people at lightning speed and leapt at him. The man laughed as he caught her.
It was strange for her to see Kael in his uniform; it was made up of black boots, dark grey cargo pants accented with red camouflage and a shirt that matched. He pried her off him and planted her down on the end of the loading ramp.
"I'm gonna miss you, Kria. Be good for mum and dad yeah?" He said with tears in his eyes whilst smiling.
Kria looked up at him, emerald eyes glassy, "promise me you won't get shot or anything. If you do I'll find you, bring you back and shoot you myself."
Kael chuckled and nodded, "I promise".
Kria looked down and wiped her tears. Kael lifted her head.
"Chin up, girl. I won't be long".
With that he smiled, hugged her one last time and boarded the transport, the doors closing with a loud hiss.
Kria shook herself out of her daydream. On a hunch, she tapped her fingers across the holo-keys; easily hacking into the network of the Draen garrison and read her findings with a slight squint.
'26381 - P'.
'P'.
'Phantom.'
