"He tricked her," K'Nabu explained.

M'ka sat on the floor and looked at his friend. He was lying on the ground with his arm over his face. The purple light from his nanite prison reflected off of his dark skin.

"So you attack him in front of 200 people?"

K'Nabu took a deep breath. He had been in the school's protection facility at the bottom of Orisha for two days. In that time he had been interviewed by ten different people from the teaching faculty, the Khu Seleko, and even someone from the Dora Milaje. He wasn't sure he had the energy to go over it all again.

"M'ka, thank you for coming, but I am tired."

"I am missing class to visit you," M'ka replied. "I deserve an explanation."

"Okay," K'Nabu said. He sat up leaned against the metal wall opposite M'ka so that they were facing each other.

"You look tired, my friend."

"I know," K'Nabu replied.

"What happened?"

K'Nabu stretched his arms before answering. "Ari sent me a video showing the moments before the vibranium explosion. It's why I - well, you remember."

M'ka nodded indicating that he understood. K'Nabu would be in even more trouble if anyone found about what he'd done at the Temples.

"Once I had all of the information," K'Nabu said referring to the data he'd gotten from Ari's kimoyo beads, "I understood what she was trying to show me. It was D'Jo's nanite signature. She managed to display it on the lab bench where the vibranium was just before the explosion. So I checked with the school vibranium store, and D'Jo was the one who'd checked out vibranium under Ari's name. Then he must have taken the safety suit and rigged the door so that once it closed it wouldn't open again, but I can't prove that."

M'ka was silent as the weight of what he was learning seeped in.

"He was trying to kill her?" he asked after a few seconds.

K'Nabu nodded. "I think the goal was to stop the clock on the Nunjari, so that no one would be able to solve it. Blaming it all on Ari insured that when the work resumed, it would resume in his lab under his supervision. And she would be dead, so she wouldn't be able to defend herself."

"And even if she did survive, which was supposedly impossible, exposure to those levels of radiation would certainly damage her memory."

"Yes," K'Nabu said.

"That is a serious accusation," M'ka said, "The consequences will be huge if you are wrong."

"I'm not wrong," K'Nabu said, "I just hope someone can prove it."

M'ka shook his head. "It wasn't worth it. You gambled your whole future for one person."

K'Nabu was sick of hearing that from his parents and his siblings. He did not want to hear it from his best friend. "D'Jo is dangerous. If he gets away with what he's done, what stops him from doing it to someone else later?"

"That's not your responsibility."

"Is that all?" K'Nabu said. He did not want to argue.

M'ka pressed his lips together. K'Nabu was not going to see reason.

"No," M'ka replied. "I come with a message."

M'ka watched K'Nabu's eyes flash with curiosity. "From Kazu?"

M'ka shook his head. "From Ari."

K'Nabu jumped to his feet. "M'ka! What is it?"

"She says she knows what you did, but she won't tell anyone. And she's glad you're okay."

K'Nabu frowned. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"You're sitting in a holding cell," M'ka said.

"Yes, but how is she doing?"

"She's well, K'Nabu. She's out of the Temples. She's with her family. She's healthy."

K'Nabu walked toward the nanite barrier that separated him from M'ka.

"She can't visit," M'ka said anticipating K'Nabu's next question. "She's not allowed on school grounds yet."

"Okay," K'Nabu said.

"Shall I send a reply?"

"Reply?" K'Nabu hadn't thought of that. He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." There was more information from Ari's video that he hadn't shared with anyone, information she deserved to know, but he decided it was best to tell her in person.

"Someone's coming," K'Nabu said. Both he and M'ka could hear footsteps coming down the corridor.

M'ka stood and faced the entrance. The Chief Head of the school entered. K'Nabu and M'ka crossed their arms immediately.

"Relax," she said, "There's no need for ceremony here." She looked at M'ka. "You should be in class."

M'ka nodded nervously. "Yes, I will go now. Thank you." M'ka stumbled toward the exit after giving K'Nabu one last look.

"Chief Gora," K'Nabu said when M'ka was gone.

The Chief smiled. "You look well all things considered."

"I've had some good news."

The Chief put her hands behind her back. "I might have better news," she replied. "But before I share I would like to ask you something."

K'Nabu had had enough of the interrogation, but he managed to maintain composure. "Yes?"

"There was a glitch in the security systems at the Temples the night before your encounter with Professor D'Jo." Chief Gora watched K'Nabu as she talked, but his face did not change.

"What kind of glitch?" K'Nabu asked.

"I'm forbidden to share details," she explained, "But I was curious about whether you had any information about that."

K'Nabu shook his head. "I don't know much about the Temples, Chief Gora."

The Chief's lips spread into a smug smile. "I thought not," she said. She waved her kimoyo beads in the space between herself and K'Nabu. The nanites glowed bright white for a second and then disappeared.

"I'm being released?" K'Nabu said taking a step forward to test that the barrier was actually gone.

"Your accusations were correct," the Chief said. "Professor D'Jo - well, he's no longer a professor. He's in the custody of the Dora Milaje. He admits to nothing. And his nanites were disabled during the day of the explosion, so we couldn't track his exact movements, but we do know Ari was in the Third Quadrant dining hall ten minutes before the explosion. She didn't have enough time to move and place the vibranium."

"She keeps her license and she can get her qualifications?"

"Oh, yes," she replied pleased with K'Nabu's reaction to her news.

"And I'm still a student?"

"A student with honors," the Chief replied. "You've made an impressive mark on this institution in your short time here. And though I cannot approve of your methods, you are responsible for removing D'Jo from his position. We are grateful."

"Thank you, Chief Gora."

"Thank you, K'Nabu," the Chief said. "Your parents are waiting for you in the Commons." She handed K'Nabu his kimoyo beads. "Also I will be replacing D'Jo for the remainder of the school year. I expect you in class tomorrow."

"I will be there," K'Nabu said smiling.

Chief Gora took a step to the side so K'Nabu could pass her to the exit. "Walk, please," she called after him, but he was long gone.