Onidus 20
The way Solara took command of my body still hums in the back of my mind. I’m already addicted to her touch. I want more. I want to feel all of her against me, her skin, her tongue, and know what she tastes like.
Thankfully, her glow from drinking me down is short lived. I’m not sure I want Ryz and Ulian to know what just happened.
ION’s discovery is the second most wonderful thing I’ve experienced today. We finally have a direction, and I think Solara does want me, just not as much as she wants to fight alongside me.
It’s better than losing her to another male and never seeing her again.
“I traced the portal jumps of all species, even though I know you asked me to search for Neb correlations. But you also taught me always to expand my research to anything related. And Ksion matched up. They are traditional with their portals, no artificial creations with tools. Theirs are telekinetically built with Ksion energy like Vibrance,” ION says. “Like Delsfein. They’re…compatible.”
Ryz swings his feet where he sits on my workbench while Ulian leans forward in the pilot’s seat.
“So they’re trying to call through the portals for help?” Ulian asks.
ION plays a recent recording of a portal connection, with Ksion servants reporting to their Abr racer’s quarters. Normally the connection would hum a deep, droning noise, but a scratchy, inconsistent frequency overlays the drone.
“Oh,” Solara shoves a bite of brownie into her cheek. “They’re saying if someone can build a materialization induction field, they can return and fight for the Federation.”
We all look back at her as she chews her bite and listens.
“Any Ksion portal will work,” she adds. “Once it’s open, signal with the Isonian Warchant.”
Ryz eyes the brownie in her fingers. “Can I try some of that?”
“No, this one is mine. Get your own.”
“I don’t mind germs.”
She grins. “What about Onidus’ germs?”
Ryz darts his eyes to me and winks. “Proud of you.”
Then he walks into the room and returns with a brownie. “Oh, human food is so good.”
Solara points at him. “Tasting good and being good for you are often not the same. Your version of military rations is much better for you even if they’re bland and strangely colored.”
“Sorry, how could you hear that?” I ask. “Let alone understand it?”
Solara finishes her treat then shrugs. “Women often can hear higher pitches than males. I assumed you couldn’t hear it.”
“I can’t. Just sounds like static.”
“Same,” Ulian replies. Ryz nods as he eats his brownie and sits on my workbench again, rolling his eyes like he’s died and gone to Eschelon.
“I’ll communicate this with command,” Ulian says. “I think the signals might be here because they’re trying to reach those who might be able to understand them. They know you two will fight for them.”
“But I haven’t been within a Ksion portal in months,” I admit.
“I’d love to say the same,” Solara says. “But I don’t actually know what that is.” Then she lifts a hand. “ION, can you replay that last part?”
The screen replays the signal.
Solara closes her eyes. “We have a warning. Please respond.”
“We might be able to reach them with the Resonance.” I pull up a map of the lunar base. “There really isn’t a good place to do it here with so many eyes watching.”
“Then we go to Earth,” Ulian suggests. “There are places where we can have space.”
“I know of a good spot that has space,” Solara says. “But I don’t know if it has what you need.”
I move aside. “Map it?”
She slides her fingers over the screen and zooms in on a mountain. “Chris isn’t far. He’s the only human I trust apart from Ashani.”
Ulian and Ryz look at me.
“We can’t go back to the fleet. We need silence,” I say.
“What about the race?” Ryz asks. “Tomorrow is Glitter Ball. You’re going to miss the cake fight.”
I’ve already been dessert tonight. The notion makes me smile.
Solara crosses her arms. “And what if this warning is time-critical, and we’ve already waited almost too long?”
Ulian scrubs a hand through his hair. “You’re coming with us?”
“What if they talk to you? Are you going to hear them? It’s clear I can. Let’s go.”
“Now?” I ask.
“Yes, now. My shit is here. I am sick of this race, anyway. It’s just constant reminders that my family has their greedy little fingers in everything. I want to do good again, without their prying eyes digging through everything of mine.”
Ryz hops up. “See you down there.”
He snatches up his cloak as he leaves. Ulian follows him.
I take Solara by the waist and guide her into the copilot’s seat. “Buckle in.”
Dropping myself into the pilot’s seat, I bring my systems online with the screens before me and call Abr flight control. “Onidus and ION Striker departing Lunar base with Solara…”
“Enignacia,” she adds. “I am leaving the race with him. I won’t be back.”
“Is it voluntary?” The voice responds.
“Yes,” Solara replies.
“Onidus, you are free to fly. Solara, all our best for a better life.”
“Thanks.” She ends the com signal and grips her armrests. Solara sighs as I fly us through the lunar shield and aim for Earth.
Something new shines in her eyes now. Conviction. Solara’s heart beats faster; I can see her aura flashing beside me.
It takes some time to get to the surface and fly to her spot on the map. But the three of us set down on the mountaintop, ships cloaked in a triangular fortification.
We unload and gather in the center, igniting the ships’ shields.
ION Striker laser torches a bare patch in the center of our group, then puffs out a cloud of fire retardant that puts out the fire. “Is that good?”
“Great, thanks,” I reply.
Solara laughs softly as she follows me. “He’s so sweet. Do all of you guys have these AI personalities?”
Ulian motions back to his ship. “ION Starlight. She’s very kind, older, and more predictable.”
“She’s no fun.” Ryz pounds a bottle of water. “At least Zinger is as much of an adrenaline junkie as I am.”
Solara puts it together. “They’re not AI. They’re…actual souls?”
I take my position in the ring and motion for Solara to stay back.
“Yes, of soldiers that died in battle with bodies we couldn’t salvage but Vibrance we could.
So we did. Vibrance is unique to every person.
It holds their essence, their personality, and memories.
They reside in the Hall of Souls on their home motherships, or they are given a second chance at life. ”
She sits in the grass beneath ION Striker’s nose while Ulian, Ryz, and I sit in a circle, facing one another.
We each draw a light thread from our Vibrance and weave them together with a wave of our hands, opening a communication portal that will connect us to Ksion and Delsfein dimensions.
The augurs are listening by the way our threads flare wider and grow in power.
Ulian nods to me.
“Delsfein, if you can hear us, this is Onidus, from the last battle for your homeworld. Solara is with me. She heard your call through the Ksion portals. She can hear you, though I cannot. Please respond.”
For many breaths, there is only silence, paired with the soft, pulsing electric hum of our open channel. Then a hiss of static.
Solara speaks, “We hear you, Onidus, son of Venkron. Ulian, son of Joikren, Iryssius, son of Fyres. Your augurs listen.”
“Yes. They have been searching for the Vibrance disturbance,” I reply.
Solara shifts in the grass. “But you found us.”
I think of ION Striker. “No. My Ember did. He has been given a second chance in the body of my ship.”
“There is pain in your voice.” Solara quiets. “Sorrow.”
“He did not deserve the end he received. There is also guilt.” I hope Solara doesn’t question me.
“Mmm, yes. Honest still, even though it is not easy.”
Ulian sighs. “It never is.”
“The weary one…” Solara says.
“What warning did you have for us?” Ryz asks.
“The impatient one.” There’s a pause. “Nebulous plan to move on your fleet again. They wait until you are spread thin…too thin…to the fringe. Fighting ghosts. Onidus remembers.”
I do. Nebs sent terrifying creatures that screamed and wailed to scare civilians when there wasn’t a physical threat.
“Banshees,” Solara offers. “That’s what I called them.”
“How can we help you now?” I ask.
“We wish to return your sacrifices for our homeworld. We will send instructions. Hurry. They head for your homeworld. Solara...”
Solara doesn’t tell us the rest of the message.
Maybe she’s still listening, or there’s a word she doesn’t know.
But as I wait, the center of my brow thumps with pain that invades my brain.
A cascade of images floods my thoughts: supplies, Isonians, Nebs, plans for portals, Banshees, Myndrous, and Solara.
I see Solara’s death beneath a crashing ship.
My soul thread snaps. I fall backward.
“Onidus!” Solara rushes to me as Ryz and Ulian catch me. My body is inundated with pain. Symbols light up as they crawl up my fingers and into my shaking hands. The burning doesn’t stop. It’s everywhere, consuming me.
“Onidus?” My name ripples through a watery sheet like I am lost behind a waterfall and sinking deep into a dark cave.