CassaFire (6 page)

Athee stood up to her full height and lifted her chin. “So, was my flying satisfactory, Officer Byron?”

“
Yes. Your approach and landing need improvement, though.”

“
Is that so? Would you care to show me the proper technique, Officer Byron?”

Sensing her playful challenge, he smiled. “If I can do it in my fighter.”

Grinning, Athee placed her hands behind her back. “Ah, but that would be cheating,” she charged, pivoting her body to gaze once more at the ceiling.

Byron was about to respond when he caught sight of the commander and prefect on the other side of the room. Athee’s mischievous thoughts echoed in his mind, toying with him. Slamming his mental shields into place, Byron shut out her presence.

Damn it, what are you doing? Stop flirting with her! he thought.

Glancing around the room, Byron caught sight of Mevine. His company presented other problems, especially if the scientist began asking more questions about Byron’s past, but he preferred a familiar challenge he could handle. Excusing himself from Athee’s presence, he strode across the room.

Mevine was hunched over a tiny panel in a corner, his fingers flying across his personal computer pad. Byron stood to one side, afraid he would scare the young man. When it became apparent Mevine was oblivious to his surroundings, Byron touched his mind.

Mevine?

Glancing up from his work, Mevine met Byron’s eyes. “Officer Byron! I’m sorry, I was engrossed with these figures.”

“
I could tell,” said Byron, crossing his arms. “Must be fascinating.”

“
Oh, it’s incredible!” he said, his face lighting up with joy.

“
Think you can decipher it?”

“
The language is old and complex,” Mevine said, rubbing the side of his forehead. “It’ll take time.”

Byron glanced at the screen, but the symbols meant nothing to him. Offering Mevine a faint smile, he patted the lad’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll crack the code.”

Mevine sat up straight in his chair. As evidenced by his unchecked emotions, Byron’s words had bolstered the young man’s confidence. Feeling overwhelmed, Byron nodded and moved toward the exit.

Damn, doesn’t anyone know how to shield? he thought as he retreated from the alien room.

Chapter Four

The others in his party did not linger in the ruins and reconvened outside. The return flight was uneventful, save for the intense discussion between the commander and the prefect. Both expressed concerns that the alien site might be a threat.

“
Prefect Orellen, with your permission, I’d like to request that more security be brought to the surface,” Anceptor announced.

“
Commander, I understand your concerns, but additional Cassan forces shouldn’t be necessary.”

“
Prefect, it would only be to ensure the safety of those working on the alien site.”

“
I still have reservations about your men poking around the site,” Orellen said. “My people are already alarmed by the discovery. If they see a troop of soldiers descending on our city, it might cause a panic.”

Byron’s gaze flicked to Anceptor. The commander’s jaw was set and forehead wrinkled with concern.

“
If the alien site is a weapon or a situation develops, we need a team in place that can handle it,” Anceptor replied, his voice cold. “We want to ensure the safety of your people as well as our own.”

Orellen continued to resist Anceptor’s plan to bring more Cassan security to the surface The commander persisted and the prefect finally conceded.

The conflict resolved, Byron’s attention shifted to the view outside. He knew their science officers were taking every precaution, but the Tgrens were neither prepared, nor experienced, for this type of work. The thought of untrained natives wandering the alien site was a great concern. He didn’t want his demise to come from an explosion set off by ignorance any more than he wanted to die in this plane.

Upon their return to Ktren, Anceptor requested a guide to take Byron to Officer Illenth’s facility. The prefect seemed happy to rid himself of the pilot’s presence and asked a security guard to escort Byron.

“
You will take your quarters there as well,” Orellen said, dismissing Byron with the flick of his hand.

Annoyed, but relieved to escape the man, Byron left to retrieve his bag. The Tgren man waited outside the shuttle while Byron secured the vessel. None of these people could fly the ship, but he didn’t want curious hands damaging the interior.

Byron touched Garnce’s mind and discovered the pilot asleep in his cockpit. Lazy fool, Byron thought as he followed the security guard toward the hanger. Damned lucky fool, too.

They crossed the empty hanger, the wind blowing at their backs. Forceful voices reached Byron’s ears as he followed the Tgren out an exit on the far side. He found the prefect and commander in the middle of a heated discussion. Anceptor’s thoughts were shielded, but Byron recognized his tone. The man meant business.

Officer Byron, wait.

His escort continued to the left, but Byron was not about to disobey Anceptor’s request. He paused to face his commander and noticed Athee on the other side of the prefect. Her confusion and agitation broadcast unchecked from her mind and only added to the confusion. Suspecting she was the subject of their argument, he approached the two men with care.

The security guard reappeared at his side and the sudden movement caught Orellen’s attention. The prefect turned toward Byron, his face twisted with indignation.

“
What’s this nonsense about my niece possessing strong psychic abilities?” he demanded.

Gripping his flight bag even tighter, Byron waited for Anceptor’s nod before replying. “I am sensitive to the mental emissions of others,” he explained, “and her powers broadcast loud and clear.”

Uttering a Tgren expletive, the prefect clenched his fists. The commander narrowed his eyes.

“
Prefect Orellen, she should be tested,” Anceptor stated.

“
I questioned this whole business of psychic abilities from the beginning,” began Orellen, raising a threatening finger. “While it may be natural for Cassans, we on Tgren use our voices to communicate.”

Until this moment, Athee had remained silent. Byron sensed indignation at the prefect’s words and she found her voice at last.

“
Uncle!” she exclaimed, grasping his forearm. “What if I do possess mental powers? I want to be tested.”

The two faced each other, locked in a battle of wills. The prefect’s wrinkled forehead carried down to his chin, adding force to his square and unrelenting features. Byron doubted many challenged the man and fewer still met with success. Kin or not, a woman of Athee’s age and stature stood little chance against a man possessing Orellen’s disposition.

However, more than just determination flowed from Athee. A force beyond mere emotion radiated from her mind. She might be unaware of her powers, but they now cascaded like a torrential downpour. Her stance, one hand resting on her uncle’s arm while the other casually grasped her gloves, revealed none of the energy pulsating in her thoughts. Only her focused expression gave evidence of Athee’s mental strength.

Her uncle let out a disgruntled bark and shook his head. “You’ll do what you want regardless,” Orellen growled, eyes averted from his niece. “Go with Officer Byron.”

Athee’s thoughts matched her triumphant grin. Standing to her full height, her gaze turned to Byron as if he were her next conquest. He winced and threw up his mental shields to guard against casual encounters. She’d entered his mind once today. That was enough.

Tell Illenth to report his findings to me immediately,
the commander ordered as Byron and Athee departed with the security guard.

Their escort led them to a small cart with only two benches. Byron selected the rear seat on purpose. He exhaled a deep breath when Athee slid in front of him. However, the moment the cart’s rattling ceased and it achieved an even pace, she turned to face him.

“
So, I have strong powers?” she asked, her arms resting on the back of the seat.

“
Yes,” Byron replied, his gaze traveling to another cart as it passed.

“
Will this test reveal what I can do?”

Byron shrugged, his eyes averted. He was now wary of the prefect’s niece. Byron kept his mental shields raised. With his attention focused on the barrier around his mind, the sights and sounds of the city were but blurs and background noise. He had to maintain distance…

“
You don’t talk much, do you?”

Athee’s question, punctuated by a solemn tone of curiosity, caused his gaze to shift to the young woman in front of him. Byron was cautious when it came to personal disclosure and he did not feel like engaging in a lengthy conversation. The cart hit a bump, sending a jolt through his spine. His bag shifted, providing a diversion. Pressing his lips in a thin line, Byron shook his head and reached down to secure the pack.

“
Officer Byron, have I offended you?”

He raised his head, his mouth open to deny the accusation. Athee’s chin rested on her forearm and in his bent position, their faces were only inches apart. Jade-green eyes, wide with concern, met his. Her smile was gone, further compounding her forlorn expression. With his shields locked into place, Athee was not controlling him in any manner. A twinge of regret for his indifferent attitude toward the young woman pricked at Byron’s conscience.

Byron leaned back in his seat. “You’ve not offended me, Athee. What would you like to talk about?”

“
Can you really sense powers in others? We were told a machine was required to detect psychic ability.”

“
The machine is more accurate,” he explained, noting they were passing a market area. Exotic colors vied for his attention and an assortment of smells attacked his nose.

“
But you can still sense powers?”

“
Yes.”

“
How?”

Byron met her gaze and shrugged. “A gift I suppose.”

“
What else can you do?” she asked sitting up straight in her seat.

The cart rounded a corner, jostling its passengers. The market square was left behind, replaced by the white stone of plain buildings. Without visual distraction, Byron’s attention returned to Athee. He contemplated his answer, as disclosure meant he was revealing a secret known only by a select few. On an alien planet resting beyond the boundaries of Cassan space, discretion hardly seemed necessary.

“
I can power our ship’s teleporters.”

Athee’s brows came together and she shook her head. Byron licked his lips and leaned closer.

“
Our teleporters allow us to jump from one point in space to another. They’re fueled by a complex energy compound. One of the required elements is found here on your planet. I won’t bore you with the details, but most ships drain the teleporter’s energy after two jumps in close succession,” he explained, tapping his fingers together. “I can funnel my own mental energy into the teleporter and perform multiple jumps.”

“
Oh,” she said. “You mean you can create that compound with your mind?”

“
My powers stimulate the elements that create the energy, providing a quick burst that is enough to fuel a jump.”

“
Is that an unusual power?”

Byron nodded. “Only one in 800,000 Cassans possess the ability.”

“
Guess that makes you really special then.”

Grasping the seat as the cart lurched to the right, Byron’s nerves jolted. Shields still in place, he could not sense her emotions or thoughts and wondered the true meaning behind her words. A cloud of smoke billowed from the cart’s engine and the wind blew the offending soot in their direction. Byron coughed, thankful for the diversion. As if on cue, the engine also emitted a sick cough and spluttered into silence. They had reached their destination, none too soon for Byron.

Without further words, Byron ushered Athee inside. He located Officer Illenth and introduced the young woman, repeating Commander Anceptor’s request for a full testing.

“
My machine only covers the basics, but let’s see what it detects,” he said, brushing aside strands of hair that were many months past a regulation haircut.

Byron observed while Illenth performed the test. The device was small and designed only to measure overall mental strength. Athee sat motionless as Illenth attached electrodes to her temples, his long fingers moving rapidly. Once satisfied with the connection, the man returned to the machine and pressed several buttons.

The information that flashed across the screen was foreign to Byron. However, he noted Illenth’s change of expression as data continued to compile. The man’s eyes grew wide and threatened to burst from his sunken sockets. He stared at the readout for several minutes, one finger rubbing his chin. Byron was tempted to lower his shields, but resisted the urge. He did not want two sets of emotions overwhelming his senses.

Growing impatient, Byron shifted his feet. The sound pulled Illenth from his thoughts and he glanced at the waiting pilot. The psychic officer turned off the machine with a single flick of a switch. Exhibiting a gentle touch, Illenth removed the electrodes from Athee’s head.