CHAPTER 26
Rina, Kalin
The quaking ceased. The fissure had stopped abruptly. Not even a slight tremor was felt. All was quiet except for the hum of the holo table. Marante looked at Rina strangely and got to his feet. She slowly crawled out, her muscles hurt from the stress, and noticed the holo was still on.
“Six of the twelve Deltrons have been completed,” said Marante, studying the holo, “and have already replicated thirty percent of the missing core. Apparently, Tolba, the Chaslean left in charge of the Quasar, had ordered them preassembled long before I contacted him. All of the Earth-human prisoners are aboard the Quasar. Wait...something else is happening. There is an Earth-human submersible inside the crevasse that leads to the planet’s REM tunnel and—oh dear.” He stopped talking for a moment then continued. “It seems a countdown with less than two minutes remaining has been activated in the vessel. Its eruption will also ignite several weapons near the mid-section of a large continent.”
“Oh crap!” said Rina, staring at the visual display of an X-38 in the trench. “It’s General Bauman. He’s going to use nuclear weapons as a catalyst to create devastating earthquakes. Can you stop the countdown?”
“The magnetic fields of the Deltrons are affecting the holo.” Wavering lines distorted the picture. “I may not have enough time.”
“Please, Marante,” said Rina, putting her hand on his shoulder. The anxiety was making her nauseous. “They’re so innocent. Millions are going to die, including my father. Please, try your best.”
“If I alter the attributes incorrectly, it can ignite the vessel. Let me concentrate.”
She moved away. Will Bauman win? She started pacing back and forth, holding her head in her hands. The seconds seemed like eons and sweat began soaking her red T-shirt.
“Forty seconds,” he said.
Her breathing sped up; she knew now what Shiro felt like when he was near hyperventilating.
“Twenty seconds.”
“Don’t count,” she demanded. “It’s making me crazy.”
“I have good news,” he said. “The countdown has been cancelled, the vessel has been shut down, and the Deltrons are working at an amazing pace.” He smiled at her. “Your world is saved, my lady.”
The thrill of exhilaration rushed through Rina and she leapt into his arms.
“You did it!” she shouted.
She squeezed him tight and he moaned. Bones and joints formed hills along his cream-colored shoulders that led to a narrow neck. His bulging head was enormous and she wondered how his thin neck managed the weight. Down his back, the shape of each vertebra protruded from under his skin. It was creeping her out.
“Yes, yes,” said Marante, trying to loosen her grip.
She was more than happy to let him go.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just that I got excited.”
“Me too,” said Marante, his nose had grown and was now pink. “My form is different from yours but so are all the other thousands of species you will meet. It is something you must adjust to.”
“Again, I apologize,” she said, distraught she may have upset him. “It’s all new to me and I have a lot to learn.”
“It is quite fine, my lady,” said Marante. “I know you would never intentionally hurt me.”
Is his telepathy always active? She pointed her finger at him perturbed. “You need to stop reading my mind.”
He smiled wide. “I will stop when you learn how to. Telepathy is something common amongst the human species. I am sure you can do it if you try.”
“Maybe I can,” she said grinning, “and when I do, I’m not telling you. I’m just going to read your mind until I find something to blackmail you with.”
“Perhaps,” he chuckled, “but alas, I am not the one who likes to sleep naked on the beach.”
Rina gasped. He’d read her inner thoughts.
“I can’t believe it! Not even Shiro knows that. I only did it once and I wasn’t totally naked and no one was around. This is so unfair.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” said Marante, “unless you play dirty, then all promises are off.”
Rina laughed loud, enjoying his good sport. She hugged him again. “You are so great.”
This time he wrapped his arms around her tight. Marante was sympathetic and respectful, more so than men on Earth. She was tempted to kiss him on the mouth but stopped. Who knew what bacteria he carried? Sometimes she hated being a scientist. He was probably reading her mind again so she cupped her hands on his face and kissed his cheek. His nose instantly turned a bright pink and she stepped back.
“I’m sorry if I offended you,” she said, staring at his golf ball-size nose.
“Chaslean-humans are very...passionate in different areas of our bodies,” he said, smiling. “You will learn this with time.”
“Yes, I will.” She smiled, needing to change the subject. “So tell me, what exactly are Deltrons?”
When Marante turned around, the outline of every bone was visible, including his ribs and hips, something she’d never noticed beneath his tight clothes. His head was almost as wide as his torso.
Does he eat? she wondered. He looked severely malnourished.
He began, “Deltrons are machines that emit solid energy crystals, which after time alter themselves to become the rock surrounding them, an invaluable Saleran creation. We have used them in the cores of larger worlds with great success.”
“Oh good,” she said, feeling stupid. This new technology was way beyond her.
Someone cleared his throat behind them.
“Kalin!” said Rina, ecstatic to see him alive. She dashed to him and they hugged.
“Did you fight Vorkis?” she asked, running her fingers through his thick, black hair. No bruises, bumps, or any signs of a battle were evident.
“I let the Oridians take care of him,” he said. “They do such a nice job. Oh yeah, I found this hiding in the corner of the lab.”
Shiro walked in the entrance. Rina couldn’t believe her eyes. Tears immediately formed.
He grinned with his crooked teeth. “Vorkis killed another earth guy in my place. He said he might need me for later. He knocked me out and left me in the corner of the lab.” A blue-black bruise spotted his left jaw.
She squeezed him tight, crying, never wanting to let him go.
“It’s nice to be loved,” he said, holding her.
She released him and punched his arm. “I can’t believe you pushed me out of the car!” She swiped at her tears. “You were supposed to save both of us, not just me. Do you know the agony I’ve suffered?”
“Sorry,” he said, rubbing his arm, “but I couldn’t let you die.”
She got up in his face. “Don’t you ever, ever do that again! Do you understand me?”
“Is Verlea the name of your home world?” asked Marante, slipping on his black tunic.
“What?” she asked, confused.
Marante had the knack of changing a conversation quickly. Rina stared as Kalin piled a bunch of Sarvin Crystals on Marante’s head. The ragged tears in Marante’s tunic mended and the cloth filled in all the crevices on his body until no protruding bones were visible.
That’s amazing, she thought.
“Is Verlea the name of your planet?” he asked again.
“Maybe,” she said, sending evil glares at Shiro, “but I don’t know for sure. I’ll have to ask my dad when we get up top.” She hugged Shiro again. “I’m still upset at what you did, but I’ll never forget what you gave up for me, and I’m so glad my best friend is alive. By the way, did you know Bauman sent another sub and Marante shut it down?”
“For real?” he said happily.
“Yep,” she said, cuddling his arm.
“Listen,” said Shiro to Kalin and Marante, “we can’t thank you enough for what you’ve both done.”
Rina walked to Kalin and took his hands. They were large and callused. Not those of a prince. Chivalry was once co
mmon among men of Earth; was Saleran society like that? How many more heroes were there in the universe?
“Thank you, Kalin, for everything,” she said. “I was out of line back there and I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said, sprinkling Sarvins on her head. “You were almost right. I’m not a loser.”
“No, you’re not,” she agreed.
“But now it’s over, so let’s talk about you and me, sweetheart.”
Oh great, she thought.
Should she tell him how much she hated being called superficial names? With the way they got along, it was inevitable. His wanting gaze made her uncomfortable. Kalin was handsome and strong but she wasn’t ready for a relationship, or whatever he would call a relationship; somehow myriads of women popped into her mind. He wasn’t the type for just one. Besides, she’d just found out she wasn’t an Earth-human. There was too much to learn and a heap of questions needed answers. He tenderly cupped her face; his hands were warm and caressing, creating goose bumps all over her body.
“Even when you were dirty,” he said, “you were beautiful.”
He leaned down to kiss her and she reactively grabbed his hands, pulling them off. She smiled and stepped away. He tilted his head and looked at her strangely.
“What, not even a kiss?” he said.
“Never on a first date,” she replied, hoping it wasn’t an insult. She couldn’t get attached. A romance would just mess things up.
“If this was our first date,” he said with a laugh, “I can only imagine what our second one will be like.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw Shiro slap Marante’s shoulder.
“You’re the man, my man,” said Shiro.
“Ouch,” said Marante. “I have done nothing.”
“Yes, you have,” said Kalin. “You put your shirt back on.”
“What did you say?” asked Marante.
“You need to keep those nasty bones under your shirt,” said Kalin.
“I will not allow you to insult my race, you—you unappreciative, arrogant, self-absorbed—”
“Yeah, yeah,” said Kalin, smirking and waving him off.
Rina chuckled. “You guys are great.”
Just then, a holo rose up from the center table. An alien resembling Marante appeared.
“Captain, do you read me?”
Kalin joined Marante and Shiro at the holo. This was her chance to study the dead Oridian near the entrance. She walked to the creature and squatted to examine it. The animal’s eyes and maw were wide open and it lay stiff like a dead bird with its head and legs bent back.
“Yes, Tolba,” said Kalin. “What’s the progress of the Deltrons?”
“They are near completion, Sir, and we have the Earth-human prisoners aboard. They are in stasis and are being regenerated.”
“Good work, Tolba. Get another team down here to extract this equipment. We don’t need marauders invading this world for these Saleran creations.”
“Aye, Sir.”
“Kalin,” said Rina in a strained voice. She couldn’t breathe.
Vorkis had a knife to her throat. Taru was standing next to him with a Barra pointed at them. Rina felt Vorkis’ warm blood saturating her clothes. She forced her eyes to the side; several hefty streams of blood were running down his face.
“She’s mine,” said Vorkis.
The next thing she saw was a flash of light.
Kalin was stunned momentarily. What— “Tolba, what’s the destination of that teleport?”
“Vorkis’ ship, Sir.”
“Disable his hyperdrive!” he shouted.
“I cannot comply. His REM has been modified and— Sir!” Suddenly, screams and loud booms sounded in the background. “We are under attack! The REM shield has been disabled. Teleporter beams have been activated throughout—”
The communication went dead, leaving only static.