37. The Powercell
THIRTY-SEVEN
THE POWERCELL
Elena
I pretend to doze, sinking into Lukys’s embrace, at first lulled into sweet catnaps that quickly morph into anxiety fits that keep me alert enough to remain awake.
It’s hard, especially when he settles around me and his body turns into a large, warm cushion.
A cushion that presses up to every side, cradling me protectively, urging me to give in and fall into slumber.
It’s not the most comfortable being outside at night, but tucked in Lukys’s arms, while next to a fire…
It’s not so bad.
As the hours pass by, I begin to think my plan isn’t going to work, especially when the pressure of sleep weighs heavily on my eyelids and it becomes almost painful not to give in.
I’m about to drift away when his body shifts.
At first, I think he’s just moving into a more comfortable position but then he gently pulls away from me.
Excited it’s finally happening, I feel his loss immediately and have to restrain myself from calling him back down to me.
I think I must have given myself away when he returns to hover above me.
I immediately go still, waiting until I hear him move away.
When I’m sure he’s gone, I sit upright and rub the tiredness from my eyes. It’s still dark but based on how much time I was lying with Lukys, it can’t be dark for much longer.
Either way, I only have two choices. I sneak away now, or chicken out and stay. I squint and look at the shadows around me.
It had been a long shot to see if Lukys would leave me in the early morning. Based on previous experience it’s when I’m just waking or have only just woken when he returns or appears. I never knew when he left, I just knew I needed to be awake when he did.
If I go now, and I go fast, I can be back in a couple of hours. If I can find the registry and check it quickly, I’ll be in the forest, hunting down our glade, when he’s returning as well.
Unless I find my sister… I frown and cross my arms.
I tug on my shoes and stand. I don’t owe Lukys anything.
In fact, we can say we’re even now. I’ve been willing to do what he’s wanted because it made sense to me but that doesn’t mean I have to continue.
Yes, I agreed to remain by his side—when it makes sense—but he’s the one who left me.
I peer around once more, very much alone.
I’ll be quick.
I stumble and trip my way through the forest in the general direction I believe the encampment is in, only finding my passage getting easier when the trees begin to space out. By the time I reach the end of the forest and see the fields, the first hints of sunlight bleed across the land.
I waste no time approaching the main pavilion tent.
Several of the spotlights turn off as a soldier on duty waves at me, signaling that he sees me.
In the distance, I hear muffled conversation and the hatches of spaceships being opened.
Meanwhile, tent flaps are being spread as morning campfires are lit.
So far, so good. I travel down the main path and continue to the half-open barricade gate. In front of it are a line of people, two-dozen deep.
“Gates are opening soon,” someone up ahead shouts. “Make sure you are registered at the pavilion.”
Checking faces, I move to the end of the line. Glancing at the forest far behind me, my stomach churns with knots. It’s still dark but it’s getting lighter by the minute. I really hope Lukys’s hunt goes slow.
As I wait, I see more people approaching to join the line. Conversation grows with people chatting about an important announcement. I tap the shoulder of the person ahead of me.
A middle-aged woman with short brown hair and a black shawl turns around. “Yeah?”
I spin my finger, indicating the gathering people. “Is something going on?”
She considers me. “You don’t know? Oh wait, you’re that girl with the black naga from yesterday…” Her eyes lift in search of Lukys as I nod my head.
“Uh… yeah. I am and he’s not here.” I guess Lukys and I were our own little spectacle.
“Ah, good.” Her gaze falls back on me. “Between you and me, the nagas give me the heebie-jeebies. Anyways—” She waves her hand. “Last night Commander Lunteer said there was going to be a big announcement today and that we should head to central square to hear some encouraging news.”
“Encouraging news?”
“I think they’re going to announce that The Sovereign or one of the other colony ships is finally on its way. That’s the rumor. But who knows, they’ve been working day and night on something down below the ground. Why are you going in so early if it’s not for that?”
“I’m searching for my sister.” Perhaps if everyone is gathering… it would be a good place to look for her. “Maybe you’ve heard of her? Jenna Viller?”
The woman thinks then shrugs, pulling her black shawl tightly over her shoulders. “No. But don’t worry. News travels fast around here. You should try the registrar, that’s where everyone is told to go for missing persons.”
“Do you know where it is?”
“In the center of the encampment, near where the announcement will be actually. It’ll be in the building on the right off the main path. It’s big and partially crumbling. You can’t miss it.” The woman turns around when the soldier calls her forth.
The same soldier waves to me when she’s allowed through. “Name, caste, and ID number,” he says as I approach.
I give him my information, and he finds me on his tablet. Checking the picture they took of me yesterday, he lets me through.
“We can’t be too careful,” he says. “Not after what’s happened at the other encampments.”
I frown, not sure what he means.
The gate is large, rough, and made of wood, and I quicken my pace and pass through. I dodge a few soldiers and civilians as I search for the main path. Everyone is waking up. Drones and other machines ascend into the sky or swoop in and out overhead.
As the sun rises with the machines, and dawn’s light awakens the camp, I take in the rows of small wooden buildings and large pavilion tents. Everything is uniformed inside.
Coming upon soldiers and people dressed in white lab coats, I follow them down the path everyone else is going. At the end is a series of large, crumbling ruins and buildings. Old buildings from an ancient, dead world.
“Everyone! Make your way to the center!” a man in white shouts from the tents between the paths.
Following the others, I uneasily glance behind me again. But Lukys isn’t there… and the forest is no longer in view.
At the same time, my eyes flick to every face, searching for Jenna’s among them. I find people I spoke to yesterday, I even spot Levy, but I don’t see my sister.
A loud humming fills my ears, and I soon come upon a giant, metal contraption in the middle of the camp. There are gates and tents lined around it, and a makeshift stage.
As I near it, I hear people talking about a powercell. When I try to get closer, the growing throngs stop me.
I face the machine—what I think is this powercell—and get a clear view of it when the people ahead of me move.
Feeling the vibration of the machine’s energy in the ground, its hum reverberates through everything.
On a large, circular platform, and behind an erected gate that wraps around the entirety of it, the powercell is like an obelisk.
A round opening hollows out the cell’s middle with tendrils of electricity shooting out from the sides and colliding with others.
“Make way! Move aside!”
As an escort of soldiers and officers walk toward the powercell, splitting the crowd in two, I shift to the side and back out of the gathering people, realizing if I don’t leave now, I’m going to be swallowed and stuck.
I don’t see my sister anywhere.
Dashing to the crumbling building to the right, the one I hope is the registrar, I enter the wide-open entryway. I’m pressed for time. A twinge of guilt churns my stomach and I quicken my pace.
I don’t think Lukys would try and enter the encampment, but I also don’t know how he’s going to react if and when he discovers that I’m gone.
Inside the building is a large foyer-like space with tarps and smaller, open tents. With the ceiling half gone, many of the tents are covering long tables that are littered with tablets and documents. There’s no one around.
I walk to the first table. “Hello?”
“Hey! Hold up. You’re not supposed to be in here right now.
” A soldier walks past me, grabbing one of the tablets on the table within the tent next to me.
He turns as he swipes his hand over it, powering it on.
The screen brightens then changes when he places his fingers directly on it.
The tablet flickers. “Shouldn’t you be outside with the others? ” He eyes me suspiciously.
“I’m searching for my sister—well the registrar—to see if she’s here…” When he continues to squint at me, I swallow and continue, “Or if she has been here. I’m not here to steal anything if that’s what you’re thinking. The doors were open.” I point to the entrance behind me.
The man lifts his brows but then he sighs. “This building doesn’t have doors anymore. But I guess trying to beat the crowd here while they’re busy is smart.” He looks down at his tablet. “The people manning Operations Services aren’t here yet, but I can do a quick search. Who are you looking for?”
I suck in a breath. “Jenna Viller.”
“Jenna Viller. Spelled how it sounds?”
“Yeah.”
He swipes his fingers over the screen. “Nope. She’s not registered.”
My shoulders deflate and I nod, flattening my lips, having already prepared for the news. “I knew it was a long shot.” It’s not like anyone else has seen her.
The soldier smiles sadly. “We’ve all lost someone. The best we can do now is to keep going, keep searching, keep surviving. That’s what we hope they’re doing, so that’s what we need to do ourselves.”
I turn away from him to look at the crowd. “Yeah. You’re right.” My thoughts drift to Lukys and my lips purse.
“Everybody quiet down! Commander Lunteer is about to speak!” a man with a megaphone shouts.
I glance at the soldier. “Thank you.”
He nods then flicks his eyes outside. “See you around.”
No. You won’t.