Blood in the Fire (Timelaws Trilogy) (19 page)

The Ori Forest - Fall 2834

Elizabeth

As I worked information into their database, my eyes caught a glance of the first signs of daybreak. It might have seemed like a hopeful omen, except that my visions of sunlight were overtaken as thick, gray clouds claimed the remaining sky. The cold wind held strong, but I huddled on the ground and ignored it. I’d re-evaluated the plan several times. My conclusion was always the same: it was a dumb idea. How else would you classify a strategy modified from something I saw on TV? Admittedly, there was one very notable difference between myself and the fictional time traveler I intended to emulate: I wasn’t famous. Unlike him, my achievements were not quite so flashy and certainly not terror-inspiring. But I could fix that, and I had. Hopefully well enough to buy me some time at least.

“Anton, you have to go now,” I said. He remained silent, as he had for the past hour while I completed my task. “The wizards will be coming soon, and I don’t want them to find out you were downloaded into their security protocols.”

Anton regarded me with motionless eyes. At last, he nodded. “Please stay safe,” he said. Somehow, buried in his expression, I could feel his deep desire to kiss me good-bye. His photonic body was like a cage, keeping him distant. He stood to leave.

“Wait,” I said. I took a deep, shaky breath and looked down to my trembling hands. I wasn’t sure if I could see the first hues of blue skin beneath the layers of fresh and dried blood. “What happens to you now?” I asked.

“My program will delete itself,” he responded matter-of-factly.

“That’s horrible,” I breathed. “No, when I go back, I’ll tell Anton…” The hologram shook his head.

“If that were true, then you would have already and I would be different,” he interrupted. Then, because he must have seen the sorrow in my eyes, he kneeled back down next to me and said, “I don’t mind; I’m just a hologram. No emotions.”

“Could have fooled me,” I countered. “How was Anton able to program you so well?”

He smiled. “I watched him. My program was designed to try and predict his actions, his expressions, everything about him. When the prediction was wrong, it self-corrected. After years of gathering data and tweaking my algorithm to fit the results, it got to where I could mimic him with 98% precision.” The hologram shrugged. “Guess that was close enough.”

“Yeah, close enough,” I agreed.

He smiled. “It’s been a pleasure,” he said. “For his sake, please don’t die.” I nodded. Then Anton stood back up and turned himself off. I was alone.

Maybe the wizards won’t come after all,
I wondered. The planet’s security system had detected me some minutes ago, but the wizards had not appeared yet. For a moment, I thought that perhaps they’d found me and didn’t care. Maybe they would never come.

The idea was barely formed when suddenly a loud whoosh of air blasted all around me. As soon as the sound died away, I saw over a hundred wizards newly materialized in the ori forest around me. I looked around and saw their pale, pointy faces peer back at me. I wished my hologram-boyfriend was back here beside me.

The Ori Forest - Fall 2834

Elizabeth

It was time I had a chat with the local population. Very slowly, I shifted my gaze from one wizard to another. My eyes rested on one with a vile look. I studied him from head to toe and took in every detail of his lanky figure.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he erupted.

“Quiet,” another wizard reproached. His voice was thick and throaty, like an old man who’d smoked too many cigars. I smiled.

“So you must be in charge,” I accused the throaty wizard.

“Well deduced,” he answered with a sweet, mocking tone. His yellow eyes regarded me. “You sound rather… smug, for someone who’s bleeding all over our forest,” he said. Hollow checks sunk further into his wide mouth when he spoke.

“Do you always judge your enemy by appearances?” I countered. To prove my point, I rose to my feet. He examined my movements as I straightened to full height. Renewed pain gripped my leg and made my vision blur, but I didn’t flinch. With my chin up, I took a single step toward him.
I hope my leg holds me this time
. “I bet by now you’re probably wondering how such a small person like me could make it onto your planet,” I taunted. ”Past all those big, bad weapons and defenses.”

The lead wizard didn’t respond
.

“Tell me your name,” I commanded. He curled his nose and opened his mouth to admonish me, but I interrupted before he could. “You might want to hear the rest of my offer before you protest.”

His frown deepened. “What’s that?” he barked. He was tired of my game.

“You tell me your name and I’ll tell you mine,” I offered. “Trust me. You’ll want to know it.” Standing as I was, I felt like a target for every breath of frigid air that lifted my skirt and slipped through my thin shirt. I crossed my arms to hide my trembling.

“Prikhoff,” he replied. It was only a partial name, but I didn’t care. The point here was to demonstrate power. Mine.

“And I’m Elizabeth Juliana Carter,” I replied.

“Kill her,” Prikhoff commanded.
No!
I prayed silently. Two of Prikhoff’s subordinates began chanting, but I lifted my arms to silence them. Surprised by my motions, they stopped.

I started taunting them again. “As you’ve noted, I’m bleeding and yet I don’t heal myself. I haven’t bothered with a shield or put up any kind of resistance to your special army here.” I gestured flippantly to the troops watching me. “And last but not least, I’m on your planet.” I lowered my voice to a whisper and leaned in toward Prikhoff. He smelled like a rotten fungus. “Don’t you want to know why?”

He lifted his upper lip in an angry scowl. Pointy, rotten teeth revealed themselves. “And I suppose you’ll tell me if I let you live?” Prikhoff asked. His moist breath carried with it his moldy scent.

“I’ve already told you,” I said. “You have my name. And you have access to an interplanetary database that holds historical information from hundreds of planets and civilizations dating back more than a few centuries.” My voice darkened as I prepared to extend my challenge: “Look me up.”

Prikhoff huffed at my suggestion, but curiosity got the better of him. I watched his eyes glaze over as he mentally accessed the database and searched the name I’d given him. Then slowly, his eyebrows knitted together and I thought perhaps I detected the slightest hint of fear taint his angry expression.

“You destroyed a whole wizard planet by yourself? With just one spell?” he said as his eyes refocused on me. This time, there was a hint of admiration in his tone but also doubt.
Had I taken the lies too far?
“You traveled to a forbidden time and brought an extinct civilization back into existence?” he questioned further.

I kept my eyes locked on his gaze and nodded. My heart pumped blood through my veins at record rate. Without a doubt, the wizards would be able to investigate my entries into their database and determine that they were fake. When they did, I would be killed. But how long would it take?

“You brought someone back from the dead?” he asked.

I didn’t remember adding that to the database. “Yes,” I replied. I concentrated to keep my heart-rate steady. Tamer had given us some basic training in evading lie detector spells, but it was not my best skill.

“You led the team that created the Timelaws.”

“I did,” I replied. “You can check the entry for authenticity if you don’t believe me.” I regretted saying the words almost as soon as I said them.

Prikhoff nodded to the wizard who had first spoken to me. “Do it,” he ordered.

“You can even cross reference my identity with my DNA,” I offered as I reached out with my bloody hand.
What was I doing?
The body I was in was fabricated. However, it was also the best shape-shift forgery I’d ever accomplished. Perhaps if he were busy verifying my DNA, he might not think to check on the other stories I’d planted. The history of my involvement with creating the Timelaws was the only truthful tale my spell had added to their database. And if I had gambled wrong, this would be game over.

The wizard frowned in disgust, but he took a few steps toward me and wiped his finger on my bloody palm to gather the sample he needed. The feel of his thick, sweaty skin against mine gave me goosebumps.

“It can’t be you,” Prikhoff accused. “You’re not allowed in this time. No one from your period is.” His voice softened to a sickly tone. “Or don’t you know the Timelaws prevent it?”

“You have a database full of impossible histories,” I responded. “Time periods I had no business showing up in. And yet, here I am.” I kept myself turned away from Prikhoff. His presence was tough to ignore, but it sent that much more of a message when I did. I looked at the wizard testing my blood instead. “Tell me, Sweaty. Does my DNA match with the person who led the construction of the Timelaws?”

The wizard scowled at me.

“Answer the question,” Prikhoff demanded from behind me. Sweaty nodded.

“And the entry is real?” Prikhoff asked. Sweaty looked past me and nodded again.

“So, there’s the answer to your question, Prikhoff,” I said, still facing away from him. I stepped even closer to Sweaty and tilted my head. “I’m perhaps all I appear to be.” Nothing was more important than preventing Sweaty from checking the rest of my forged entries. One word from him and Prikhoff would give his army the order to attack. I was defenseless. I picked up Sweaty’s three fingered hand in my own and used my sleeve to wipe my blood off his finger. He smelled even worse than his commander, but I ignored it. “These injuries don’t mean much to me,” I said. “And neither…” I paused for emphasis, “does your planet.”

I wanted desperately to turn around and look at Prikhoff to see if my words landed, but I satisfied myself with the look of horror that crossed Sweaty’s face. “You know what I can do, Prikhoff,” I continued. “The impossible.” I prayed more than ever that I was succeeding at being dramatic and not over-the-top. Taking the theatrics too far would ruin all credibility. Not far enough and they wouldn’t fear me enough for my plan to work. “I’ve proven that your planet’s defenses mean nothing to me,” I continued. “The Timelaws mean nothing to me. Do you really want to find out what I can do to your precious little forest? Your cities? This fragile army certainly can’t stop me.” A nasty grin returned to my face. I hoped beyond all hope that I looked and sounded scarier than I felt. “Go away and I’ll leave you and your people alone.”

Finally, I allowed my neck to twist around so that the corner of my eyes met Prikhoff’s wide ones. “Or stay to find out what I can really do,” I threatened.

Prikhoff was thrown off guard. Red anger registered on his cheeks.
He’ll call my bluff.
The terrifying thought threatened to paint my face with defeat, but, instead, I smiled and turned back to him. He retreated backwards in fear, then stopped himself. I held his gaze. “Bah. You’re not worth it,” he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Then, with a single word, he disappeared.

A loud whoosh echoed through the forest, and I blinked to find his army gone.
I had won.

An exhausted sigh escaped my body as I collapsed back down to the ground. I bowed my head into my folded arms and let my hair fall over my shoulders. All that was left to do now was wait a few hours until I had enough power to take Naimi with me and return to my body. My tense muscles began to quiver as I realized the full extent of my accomplishment. I had beaten this wretched, frozen, bloodless planet that had done nothing but fight me, bite away at my skin, at my sleep, at my strength since I’d first arrived.
I had won.

HMSS Ingeniur – November 2184

Mark

Ever seen a sick deer? Neither have I, but looking at Luke right now, he was the picture of a wide-eyed buck about to barf. His thick hands gripped the console so tight, I thought he would leave an imprint in the metal. His muscles flexed in resistance to every push, pull and drop this girl could dish out. Me, I preferred to just treat it all like a roller-coaster and go with the flow. Ship pushed me right, I leaned right. Let the seat-belt do the work. Stifling heat pounded my face and made me wish I could strip down to my underwear. If it weren’t for the seat-belt, I might have. I did have to give it to Luke though. The intensity of this particular ride was perhaps just a smidge too awesome for even me. Another loud groan of folding metal rose up from the belly of the ship. It sounded like a monster with a stomachache.

“The bolt weapon is down,” Tamer said. He didn’t have to explain why. Even I could hear what the high temperatures were doing to our ride. I waited to hear Anton give an order. The next step to get us out of this mess. But he was silent.

After what felt like the longest pause in history, at last, Anton’s voice came through. “I’m open to suggestions,” he said.

The ship tumbled and I wondered if perhaps his words had knocked it out of control. Imagining our impending doom in a space toaster, I couldn’t help but look down to Liz for direction. Well, she looked like Liz. Anthe still acted like she had control over those shiny buttons on her screen, but now it felt like all control had suddenly become an illusion.

“Retreat,” Anthe said. “If I stay, I can prevent them from following you.”

“We can bring back help,” Tamer offered.
That sounded like a great idea! Why hadn’t we started with that?

“No,” Anton said.
Wait, What?
“That ship is too advanced. If our people come now, unprepared… they would suffer too many casualties trying to save the five of us.”

“Six,” Luke said. His voice was pained.

When did the ship start smelling like burnt electrical wires? Seemed like a silly thing to be bothered by right now. However I couldn’t stop thinking about that awful stink as it swelled around us, almost like it was telling us to get out.

“Anthe, do you have to remain alive for Liz to complete her mission?” Anton asked.

She nodded. “If I die, Liz will be stuck in the twenty-ninth century on a wizard planet. I doubt she or Naimi would make it.” Blood drained from my warm face and my chest stopped mid-breath. I pictured her trying to come home to us and realizing she was trapped there. Then I thought of her dying all alone so far from home. The ship made a hard dive to the right and, this time, I really was going to be sick.

“But I don’t think it will come to that,” Anthe continued.
Good heavens woman!
“I told Liz six hours. It’s almost time,” she said.

“My sister comes to this ship,” Luke affirmed. “And then what?”
Damn him.

“She’ll know the spell I’m using to cloak the teleport. The one that would prevent them from following you if you choose to go. She will be able to see Naimi to safety,” Anthe replied.

“And Liz?” I asked. I hadn’t realized I was holding back tears, but my voice betrayed me. Anthe was silent. I felt numb.
Why wouldn’t she say it? The woman was a cold-hearted witch.
The ship rolled right again and I let my body fall limply against the belt. What about Anton and Tamer?
Why wasn’t anyone telling Anthe that my sister was not an acceptable casualty?
Anton would not agree to this.

“Tamer, get out of here,” Anton ordered. I turned back to look at him. His expression was hard. “Take Mark and Luke with you,” he finished.

Luke opened his mouth to protest, but for once, I beat him to it. “No,” I bellowed. “Luke and I stay.”

“So do I,” Tamer said. “I can help fight.”
There we go. We fight.
Something on the left side of the ship ripped away from the body. We heard and felt her skin being sheared away. Looking over, I saw black, white and silver chunks floating in a cloud of our dust.

“You follow orders,” Anton said. His voice wasn’t harsh, in fact, it was kind. But the kid also made it clear there was no room for argument.
To hell with that.

“Luke and I don’t answer to you,” I said. “We stay.”

Anton looked at me with compassion. “Liz would not want that,” he said, but his sweat-drenched face betrayed that he was deliberating on the issue. “However, I won’t make Tamer teleport you against your will,” he agreed at last. “Are you sure?” The ship lurched, and a crash echoed through the halls.

“I’m losing control,” Anthe said. “We have two port thrusters non-functional.”

Luke looked at me as though he were condemning me to death. This wasn’t his decision though. “We’re sure,” I said. Don’t know why, but I choose that moment to notice that my wet shirt was clinging to my skin. Perhaps it was the realization that I would never wear a clean shirt again that suddenly made this one so uncomfortable.

“Alright,” Anton agreed. I couldn’t understand how he made it to sound so calm. “Tamer, you get out,” he said. Anthe started to mumble a spell.

Tamer lifted his head from his screen and he turned back to look at our commander. “Anton, I never said this to you before,” he said. “To hell with your orders. I stay.”

“No,” Anton countered. “Someone has to warn our people. We’re not equipped to fight a ship like this and I won’t have it catch anyone else by surprise. They need to prepare. They need you to tell them what to prepare for.”

Tamer studied Anton for a moment, then nodded. “I programmed the computer to emit varying EM pulses,” he said finally. “But it does not look like they are any more susceptible to that than we are.”

“Thanks,” Anton said with a solemn smile. “Go.”

My cousin regarded Luke and me. I thought he was preparing to say goodbye, but when he spoke, it wasn’t to us. “Anton, you know Liz would have done the same if it were you,” he said.

“I know,” Anton reassured.

But Luke erupted. He’d been doing a lot of that lately. “Are you kidding?” he yelled. His muscles strained so hard I thought he might tear through his seatbelt. “My sister sounds nothing like him. My sister would not abandon anyone. She would never, ever condemn one of her friends to death.” Luke’s face pulsed with red rage.

“Yes she would,” Tamer said. “It’s the right call.”

He leaned across me to look at Luke. “Liz knew the score,” he said. “She had the strength to make the tough choices, and I can only hope to be as strong as her and Anton if I’m ever in that position.”

“You already are,” Anton said. “Go.”