Adrift (The Sirilians Book 1) (10 page)

“A ten percent match isn’t very much when we’re talking about the entire galaxy, but I think it’s enough to get some kind of an idea.” She looked up at the three-dimensional projection, and Karo’s eyes followed hers. The stars had changed: instead of showing the entire spiral galaxy, it now showed a tiny portion, only a few star systems. Jayda inputted another command, and color was laid over the image. Karo could immediately tell that one of them was the Sirilian system.

“There it is!” he exclaimed and pointed. The relief he felt at seeing his homeworld was palpable. He had been away for far too long. He looked towards Jayda, but she didn’t look jovial like he expected. Actually, she looked confused.

“Karo, are you sure this is the Sirilian system?”

“Yes, I’m certain.” He stepped into the projected image and pointed. “See, here’s Siril. These are the other twelve planets in the system, and here’s the twin suns they orbit.”

Jayda remained quiet. Lukas stood and walked up to the image. “What part of space is this?” he asked. 

Karo knew Lukas wasn’t asking him. Jayda’s reply was slow in coming, and sounded solemn. “It’s under the control of the Grays… and the planet Karo’s pointing to is Aeonas.” 

*****

What did Jayda mean that the Siril system was controlled by the Grays? Who were the Grays? What was Aeonas?

“How can that be?” Lukas asked her quietly. Jayda just shook her head in response, a look of bewilderment on her face.

Karo finally asked the pertinent question, “Who are the Grays, and why do they claim my homeworld?”

Jayda sat quietly on Karo’s bed, still shaking her head. “I don’t understand,” she uttered. Karo sat at her side and turned his entire body to face her.

“Jayda, who are the Grays?” he repeated softly.

“They’re an enigmatic ancient race of intellectuals. They sit on the Galactic Alliance, along with Arath and hundreds of other races. We know that they have technology that’s far superior to our own, but they’re incredibly secretive. We’ve never been allowed inside one of their ships; we don’t even know where their homeworld is.”

“Why did you call my homeworld Aeonas?”

Jayda looked to Lukas, who moved a chair closer and sat. “Before I met Jayda I was onboard an Arathian ship which visited that planet. If that’s truly where you come from, then I’m afraid that Siril and Aeonas are one and the same.”

So… the Arathians have a different name for his homeworld? That wasn’t a problem, but looking at their expressions Karo knew that he was missing something important. “You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”

Lukas took a deep breath. “The only inhabitants of the planet are a colony of Earthers. Your people—they’re gone.”

Karo stood abruptly. “You must be mistaken. There are millions of people living on that planet.”

Jayda shook her head and moved to the projection. She placed her hands around the system and spread them outward. The image changed, zooming in on the twin suns and their planets, which were now each the size of her fist. She walked to Siril and pointed.

“This is Aeonas, a planet that is only inhabited by sea creatures, plants, and a colony of a couple hundred Earthers. There’s no other life anywhere on it, nor even anywhere else in the entire system.”

She spoke with such confidence, he could see the truth in her expression. “You’re certain?”

Lukas moved to his side. “I’ve been there myself, when I helped relocate people to the colony. I’m sorry, but what Jayda said is true.” 

Karo didn’t know what to make of this. How could the planet be bare? Where were the people? Now that Jayda had enlarged the image, there was no mistaking the fact that the planet they pointed to was Siril.

“How can this be?” he asked absently.

“I don’t know, but I promise that we’ll help you find the answers,” Jayda vowed.

“There’s one more thing we should mention,” Lukas added. “Jayda was right when she said that the only things on land are the rivers, forests, and Earther colonists, but there’s one thing she forgot… ruins.”

“Ruins?”

“Yeah, I saw a few of them during my short stay on the planet. There aren’t many, but there are definitely remnants of structures towards the center of the continent.”

“Could they be from my people?”

“I doubt it,” Lukas replied. “Were there ruins there when you lived on the planet?”

“No. We had older structures, but nothing that can be described as ancient.”

“The ones he’s talking about are millennia old,” Jayda chimed in. “There’s no way they could be from the Sirilians.”

Karo’s mind reeled and he sat heavily onto the bed. He didn’t know how to process all that he’d heard.

Jayda sat at his side. “We know this is incredibly overwhelming for you, but we’ll do our best to figure out what’s going on.”

Karo nodded, unsure what to say.

Jayda and Lukas left him alone so that he could mull over all that they’d discovered. Unfortunately he had more questions than answers. How could all of the Sirilians be gone from their homeworld? What would cause an entire planet of people to relocate?

From what Lukas had described the planet’s surface was covered with huge oceans and forest-covered land. If there had been a massive extinction event, the foliage wouldn’t have been able to recover that quickly on a global scale. That didn’t leave many answers, and the longer he pondered the fate of his world, the more it made his head hurt. He lay upon the bed, face covered by the crook of his arm, and hoped that the pain would recede.

Is this an effect of not using the regeneration chamber?
he wondered.

Usually he only spent a maximum of forty-eight hours without using it: just long enough to do a systems check and complete any repairs that the ship needed before going back into stasis.

The galaxy was vast, and it took his ship a long time to travel between systems. His mission was designed so that time was spent in stasis, instead of wasting days alone and aging before returning home.

Home. His thoughts had gone full circle. After leaving the Arathians he’d planned on heading back to Siril. He wanted to report to the Department of Space that his mission had been successful. He also looked forward to seeing his family again. Surely his parents would still be alive after twenty years; they’d been in excellent health when he’d left.

Memories of his family and friends were still fresh in his mind, although he admittedly had trouble remembering the months leading up to his mission launch. That wasn’t unheard of—he’d been under an immense amount of stress at the time.

The fact that he hadn’t received a communication from Siril in years was now highly disconcerting. He knew going into the mission that there would be a point where he’d journey too far from his homeworld for the communications link to work. He knew that there would be years of silence—he’d accepted that fact—but now, in retrospect, the silence was deafening.

Have I not gotten a response because they’re all dead?

Aevum bustled with anxious energy as she sat in the autotransport on her way to Karo’s home. They had communicated off and on the entire day while they’d been at work. It had been a wonderful distraction, and Aevum welcomed the new exciting emotions bubbling inside of her.

Aevum hadn’t met his parents, but she knew enough about her own society and culture to guess at their lifestyle.

Karo would have been encouraged by them to continue their pairing, but since their last date she was hoping that he pursued their relationship out of affection for her, and not just out of obligation.

During their last Meeting, Karo had shown her a lighter side of himself that had surprised her—he’d probably surprised himself.

She had to admit that she was fond of him as well. More than fond, her emotions were closer to infatuation. It had been a long time since she’d given a man more than a passing thought.

She’d dated, of course, but her last relationship had been years ago, and easily forgotten. It’d been difficult to maintain a relationship when she traveled offworld for her job. Usually she was gone for months at a time, and honestly, none of the men she’d dated were people that she’d stay planet-side for. They were nothing compared to making first contact with an unknown species on a distant world.

She felt the autotransport begin to slow, and belatedly wondered if Karo would make her want to stay in this solar system?

The transport entered the main level of Karo’s home and came to a stop. Aevum’s heart sped up as she exited and looked around the space. Meant for meeting guests as they arrived, transport foyers were an extension of any family’s home.

This one was simply—but elegantly—decorated; large opaque doors separated it from the rest of the house. As she watched, they slid soundlessly open and Karo stepped through.

Aevum felt a spike of anxiety. Would he be the man she’d enjoyed spending time with? The one who’d laughed at her jokes and spent the day sending her vid messages during work? Or would he have locked that side of himself away, since his parents were in the adjoining room?

She barely heard the transport pull away. Her heart raced as he approached. She watched him—as if in slow motion—bend forward and kiss her temple. His lips felt soft, warm, and she exhaled a lungful of air she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. 

“You’re right on time,” he remarked with a smile as he straightened. She drew immense reassurance from his expression and smiled back.

I'd consider staying on Siril for him,
she thought.

“There was no way I was going to be late tonight,” she replied nervously. Apparently he understood her trepidation.

“Everything is going to be fine. Just act like your usual self.”

She nodded and watched as Karo’s eyes traveled over her slowly. “You look lovely,” he added in a low tone that she hadn’t heard from him before. She immediately wanted to hear it again.

“Thank you. So do you.”

She was completely sincere. His outfit in shades of white and tan was more formal than the others she’d seen him wear. The clothing hugged his body perfectly, and made his skin appear an even lighter shade of blue than normal. Before she was done admiring his choice of clothes, he took her hand and led her through the large doors and into his home.

Beyond was a multi-story foyer that was decorated in muted tones. Aevum quickly looked around, but there were no personal touches of any kind, just utilitarian-looking furniture placed in exact positions. She had a strange urge to rotate a chair a few degrees and see if anyone noticed. The thought thankfully fled her mind as two people approached.

There was no mistaking Karo’s parents.

His mother was tall and lithe, with beautiful medium blue skin and dark gray eyes. She stood with her hands clasped in front of herself, and wore a simple gray dress that went all the way to her ankles. Only the small gold pin on her collar signified that she was a member of the High Council.

Karo looked more like his father. Both had light blue skin, and the same leanly muscled build. He was dressed in slacks and shirt the same color as Karo’s mother’s dress, and had an identical pin.

“May I present my mother, Kishi, and my father, Rifka. Father, Mother, this is Aevum Nikhil.”

They inclined their heads politely.

“Hello, Aevum, it is nice to meet you,” Rifka greeted.

“You are welcome in our home,” Kishi added.

“Thank you very much for having me.” Aevum smiled warmly at them but only got small, polite smiles in return.

“Dinner has been prepared for us. Let us adjourn to the dining room,” Rifka suggested, before he and Kishi turned to lead them down the hall. Aevum found herself staring at their backs and wondering at their abruptness.

Karo kept ahold of Aevum’s hand as they followed the pair and entered the dining room. It looked like the foyer: utilitarian. The table and chairs were clear; all of the serving dishes were polished metal that gleamed in the lighting. The starkness was unsettling to Aevum, who preferred her home to look like it was lived in, rather than a sterile medical facility.

Karo led her to the center of the long table and held out a chair for her. Thankfully he sat in the seat to her right and retook her hand. His parents sat across from them, and drinks were immediately served by robotic units.

I hope it’s alcoholic,
Aevum thought. Aloud she said, “You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you,” Kishi replied.

The four sat silently, and Karo squeezed her hand in reassurance. Aevum’s heart pounded in her chest, and she had to clench her teeth together to keep from breaking the uncomfortable silence by rambling. She had never felt so scrutinized in her entire life.

Before she could give in and break the silence, food was brought. Aevum discreetly glanced at Karo’s hand before she took a bite, to make sure she was using the correct utensil out of the dozen in front of her. She brought a bite of food she didn’t recognize to her mouth, and glanced across the table. Both Kishi and Rifka’s eyes were on her.

Oh crap! What did I do?
She followed their stares to her utensil, but it took a moment for recognition to dawn.

Unlike babies born with altered DNA, Aevum was left-handed; a recessive trait that was removed during the genetic alteration. It was a physical reminder that she was different than Karo. They didn’t comment, but Aevum still felt self-conscious. Thankfully the heavy silence was soon broken.

“Karincin tells us that you work for the Department of Anthropology and Biology,” Rifka remarked. “How many years have you worked there?”

“Nearly fifteen, if you count the years I spent in training.”

“What is your official position?” Kishi asked.

“I am an astroanthropologist. My team and I are sent to do the initial analysis of planets we believe have sentient lifeforms.”

“I see.”

What did she see?
Aevum asked herself as she watched both parents continue eating. She was proud of her career. Proud that she was helping to explore the galaxy beyond their system, and that she was trusted to make first contact with new aliens. She was so busy riddling out the meaning behind Kishi’s words that she nearly missed the next question launched at her by Rifka.

“How many planets have you been to?”

“Nine.” This was beginning to feel like the first time she’d met Karo. Now she knew exactly where he got that quality from.

“Do you have sufficient knowledge and training to change careers within your department, so that you could stay on Siril permanently?”

Aevum’s brows drew together in question, but it was Karo who responded to Kishi.

“Mother, what do you mean? There’s no reason for Aevum to change her occupation.”

“Perhaps not now but once you Pair Bond, and especially once you’re impregnated, your space travel will need to cease.”

Impregnated?
The word sounded so clinical, and brought to mind images of her being strapped down to a table while doctors worked around her most sensitive area. She unconsciously crossed her legs.

Karo, again, was the one to reply to his mother.

“It’s a moot subject; I would never ask Aevum to give up a career she loves, and it’s too early to be talking in certainties about our relationship.”

Rifka and Kishi shared a look, and Aevum hoped that Karo had made his point clear. She continued to eat, and this time she was grateful for the silence. It wasn’t long-lived.

“What awards or recognition have you attained during the past ten years?” Rifka inquired.

She gulped down her bite of food. “Umm…”

“Father, I don’t believe that’s an appropriate question,” Karo interjected.

Rifka turned a stern expression to his son. “Karincin, we are forced to ask such questions, because you requested that we not research her credentials on the database prior to this Meeting.”

“I asked you to get to know her yourselves, instead of basing opinions off of third party information.”

“That
is
what we’re doing; getting to know her.” 

“A list of facts does not allow you to get to know someone.”

“We disagree. It’s necessary for us to ascertain if she is a motivated woman, worthy of Pair Bonding with you.”

Excuse me?

Aevum’s reply was poised on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t have the opportunity to defend herself. Karo sat forward in his chair, arms braced on the table, and looked his parents straight in their eyes.

“That is for me to decide, not you.”

Everyone at the table fell silent, and from their twin expressions of shock, Aevum could tell that Karo rarely argued with them, if ever. Rifka was the first to recover.

“As your parents, the Assembly of Eugenics dictates that our opinion holds weight in this decision. We have to be diligent in our analysis, especially since her family’s status is vastly different than our own.”

“There is nothing for you to analyze,” Karo stated. He stood up and held out his hand to Aevum. She eagerly stood and clasped it in her own.

“Aevum is a delightful, beautiful, and brilliant woman, whom I hold in high regard. When, and if, we agree to bond, it will be of our own choosing. Your role will be to respect and accept our decision.”

Aevum had never seen two people more stunned in her entire life. His parents stared at Karo as if their son had just transformed in front of their eyes—maybe he had.

As for her, she felt hot. He thought her delightful, beautiful,
and
brilliant? No man had ever said those things to her before.

She’d never thought of herself as liking dominant or aggressive men but, apparently it was different when it was in her defense. Or maybe it was just that everything was different with Karincin?

Whatever the reason, she’d never felt so flushed with desire. Tingles shot up her arm from where their hands were linked, her stomach fluttered, and she had the impulse to wrap her arms and legs around him, holding tight.

She was more than eager to follow him when he headed for the exit.