"Apparitions" Time: Twenty-five cycles after Fractures

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Part Sixteen: The Beginning Of The End (Vanessa.)

As Lhatan finished his examination, Tashina walked into the medical bay. I could tell by the look on her face that she was upset about something. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was bothering her.

As Tashina stopped behind Lhatan, I glanced at Mattis, lying on the second bed. He was watching Tashina as well, but he had an almost amused look on his face.

"Are they all right, Lhatan?" Her voice was almost monotone.

"Was there ever any doubt? There are some indications of trauma, but nothing that some rest won't clear up. Assuming these two will take some rest."

Mattis sighed loudly. "Yes, mother," he said.

"Good." Tashina looked down at the deck and shuffled from foot to foot. "Vanessa, Mattis, I want to apologize for leading you into a trap, then leaving you behind. I didn't expect a former comrade, someone who hated the Peacekeepers, to betray us to them."

Mattis sat up and ran his hands over his face. "Nothing to apologize for, Tashina. You did what you had to. If you'd stayed, then you and Lhatan would have probably ended up permanently dead. That would have been a waste of material."

"Mattis is right," I said as I sat up and swung my legs off the bed. "Look, in the time you've been here on Moya, you've never given us reason to question your loyalties. Honestly, I would have been more upset if the two of you had stayed and gotten yourselves killed."

Tashina sighed and looked relieved. "Thank you, Vanessa."

"Besides," I continued, "if anything happens to you two, I'll have to find another doctor." I smiled at Tashina and slipped off the bed. "Come on, Mattis. I need to scrub down and change clothes."

As we left the medical bay, I saw Rea Ayani walk around a corner. Her eyes were wide and she was smiling broadly. "This is amazing," she said quietly.

"So, Rea, what do you think of Moya?"

"I've never been on a Leviathan before. This is.I'm speechless."

"Yes, Moya has that affect on people. So, what are your plans?"

Some of the joy that had been in Rea's eyes faded. "Well, if Mattis is right, and I have no reason to doubt him, I won't be able to go back to the Peacekeepers. So I don't know what to do."

"Well, you're welcome to stay with us as long as you like. But you'll have to pitch in and help out."

"Of course."

"There are store rooms a couple of tiers down. You should be able to find something else to wear beside your uniform."

Rea nodded slowly. "Thank you. So, what are your plans now?"

I hesitated for a microt. Mattis may say Rea can be trusted, but after what happened with Jack and Tashina's friend, I'm not trusting anyone I don't know. "We're heading back to Bia'thera. The weapon technology the Peacekeepers are developing are too dangerous for anyone to have."

"My company was assigned to the Gammak base. A lot of us were unsure about the direction the research was going. A few of us spoke out about it, but since we're not officers or scientists, no one listened to us. When we arrive, I should be able to help you."

"I'd really rather not have to do something drastic, Vanessa, like level the base."

"I'd like to avoid that, too, Mattis. If we can, we'll stop them without anything too extreme. Go get some rest, Rea. Things tend to happen fast here on Moya." She smiled weakly and turned down another corridor.

I watched her then turned back to Mattis. "So, how well do you know her?"

"We trained together, served together. Why?"

"Just curious. Just making sure we haven't taken in someone else who's gonna try and stab us in the back."

"Well, you don't have to worry about Rea. She may be uncertain about it now, but she'll be there when we need her."

"That's good to hear." We walked in silence and I wondered how to ask the questions that were running around inside my head. "So, were you and Rea close?"

Mattis looked at me and laughed. "Vanessa, to answer the question you're so indelicately moving toward, yes, Rea and I did recreate. But that was three cycles and another life ago. So if you're concerned about that, don't be."

"Are you implying that I'm jealous?"

"Jealous? No, you're not jealous. Possessive? That's something else entirely." I poked him in the ribs and laughed.

We rounded a corner and Mattis came to a stop. I glanced at him then looked down the corridor. Mom and Dad were standing outside their cabin, having a quiet but intense conversation.

"Are you worried about things getting out of control," Mom asked.

Dad shook his head. "No, Vanessa's got the situation in hand. I'm worried about other things."

"Something to do with what Lhatan said, about there being nothing out of the ordinary?"

"I just wanted him to make sure there were no neurochips implanted in their brains. I had to deal with Harvey for almost two cycles. It wasn't exactly a walk in the park, you know."

"True. Being dead, then having Zhaan sacrifice herself to bring me back wasn't enjoyable, either."

"Um, Vanessa?" Mattis sounded thoroughly confused. "What are your parents talking about?"

"A neurochip had been implanted in Dad's brain during a session in the Aurora Chair. While it was in place, a neuroclone of Scorpius burrowed into his mind. It took over when they tried to have it removed. Though I'm not really sure about how it all happened, Mom was killed, but was brought back through some kind of Delvian Unity thing."

"So, who's Harvey?"

"That's what Dad called the neuroclone."

Mom stopped talking to Dad, leaned to one side and finally noticed us. "Oh, hello."

"Hello," I said as we walked up to them. "What was that about Lhatan checking for neurochips?"

"I wanted him to make sure the Peacekeepers didn't plant anything in your brains. It ain't easy living with someone else in your mind. Have you given any thought to what we're going to do about the base?"

"Well, aside from knowing we have someone who's been on the base recently and should be able to get us in, no, I haven't. My head's still fogged up a bit. Let's sleep on it, then we'll put our heads together."

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I didn't feel any better in the morning. I was still bothered by my session in the Aurora Chair; the pain was fading away, but the memories were still there. Going to the cells with Tashina wasn't making me feel better, either.

Furlow was pacing her cell as we walked up. She watched us with half-open eyes. "Who do I complain to about the accommodations?"

"What's the matter? Tired of food cubes?" As Tashina drew her pulse pistol, I opened the door. "You have some choices to make, Furlow. Let's go. Tashina, take her up to Command. I'll get the Ancient." Tashina nodded and pushed Furlow forward.

I waited until they were out of sight, closed my eyes and sighed deeply. I looked back over my shoulder and saw my DRD roll up behind me. I watched him then looked up. "Moya, I have a favor to ask of you, You're not going to like it, but I need you to follow through on it."

The DRD stared at me, as if waiting for me to continue. After a moment, he blinked once. "If it comes to it, and I have to take the module out and open a wormhole, I want you to starburst away. It'll be for your." His eye-lights started blinking no, two blinks then a pause. "Yes, you have to! It'll be for your protection!"

I picked up the DRD and looked into his blinking eyes. "Moya, I'll do anything I have to in order to protect you. Because if I have to use a wormhole weapon, I want to make sure you're safe."

The DRD stopped blinking and just stared at me. "Please, Moya. You have to. Not too long ago, I dreamt that I was flying the module and opened a wormhole. Everything was all right for a few microts, then something went wrong. It ended up with you, Talyn and everyone else being killed. I don't want to risk anyone else's life." The eye-lights remained steady. "I can't tell you want I have in mind right now, but it could very well kill you and everyone else. With you starbursting away, I can do what I have to."

The DRD's eye-lights remained steady for another microt. He then blinked once. I smiled at him and brushed my fingers against his shell. "Thank you, Moya. Who knows? If things finally go our way, I won't have to do anything too dangerous." I put down the DRD and watched him roll away.

I walked out of the cell and turned to the other occupied one. Xhalax watched me, her face calm and patient. "Was that you I heard talking to the Leviathan," she asked.

"That was me." I opened the door and waved her out. "Come on. We have some planning to do."

"So you've decided to help me?"

"We were going to move against the Gammak base anyway. Just keep one thing in mind. We were already stabbed in the back by another Ancient. We're going to be keeping a close eye on you."

Xhalax nodded slowly. "Caution is always an admirable trait. But rest assured, you have nothing to fear from me. I only want to stop the Peacekeepers."

I looked at her and nodded. "As long as you don't do anything to betray us or endanger Moya."

"As I said, you can trust me."

"Dad once told me that back on Earth, another way of saying frell you is trust me. So I hope you're not too disturbed if we treat you like an escaped criminal for a little while."

She started to speak but stopped and nodded. "As you wish," she quietly said.

"Good. We understand each other." As we walked, I hoped we could find some way to stop the Peacekeepers, and hoped I would have to force Moya to keep her promise.

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TO BE CONTINUED