Void Star (19 page)

     His father was working diligently at his desk. His dad was like an older version of himself with graying hair and a slightly larger nose. He appeared deep in concentration, surrounded by stacks of papers. Schematics were hung across the walls. Formulas were displayed on chalkboards. There was a smell of aged books.

     Scott smiled as he recognized his son approaching. "Hey, Trevor, I was just finishing up. I have news." He put his pen down and closed his notebook.

     "I have news of my own. I was handpicked out of my class to undertake a dangerous mission—" As his confidence left him, he saw this was already not going as he had rehearsed. His father would never give him his blessing to go underground against Ruvera.

     His dad interrupted him. "My team and I have found a cure."

     "I thought you said they forced you to quit your research," an apprehensive twenty-two-year-old Trevor replied.

     "You know I never listen to authority." Scott smiled broadly. "Plus, the two projects turned out to be connected. I have discovered a new source of energy: plasmatheric energy. When exposed to low doses of PTE, the parasite is eradicated, and your body will expunge the remains over time. I just tested it on Harriet, the monkey. She's fine. You're next."

     Trevor hugged his dad. The thought of living life without having to hide his condition was unthinkable to him. He would quit the mission he was set against, since his life expectancy had just gone up threefold. No use throwing it away. Maybe he could get back into the diplomacy apprenticeship.

     As they patted it out as father and son, an explosion struck. A deafening boom nearby shattered the glass of Scott's office and rained down on them. Cold wind from the ocean blew in.

     "My lab!" Scott yelled. He ran to the window and saw the fiery ruins and smoke reaching into the sky. It was in pieces, burning.

     Trevor ran to his father's side and looked. Scientists and researchers who had survived the explosion were rolling in the grass trying to put out flames from their clothes and hair out. Some didn't even make it that far. "Nya," he said.

     "I just left her there. The energy field was stable. She was finishing up the process for human testing." Scott's hands were shaking. "She's the only one that…" His father left the thought unsaid.

     At the time, Trevor didn't register she had known about his father's secret work. How long had she known about it? All he cared about was her safety.

     "Let's get over there," Scott told him. They turned from his father's office and saw something odd. Right in the opening of the door stood a robed figure. His father paused. "Don't do this."

     A blade flashed menacingly in the figure's hands; it was an ornate sword made of diamond. "I have come for the last of your research," it hissed. The lights from the office showed it was wearing a mask under the dark hood.

     "No. Please stop." Scott stood between the two. "Let me check on my lab and cure my son. I don't want anything to do with this war. Have mercy."

     "Your people are all dead. Your lab is destroyed. Give me the data."

     Trevor's father blocked him. "No. This can't be. It's his last hope."

     Trev's mind was spiraling. The lab was gone. His fiancée was dead. An assassin was blocking their only escape.

     "Ruvera always wins. Your kind is a poison to the universe." The figure paused, slowly closing the distance between them like a thief in the night. "Have it your way."

     The sword flicked out and flashed. The figure dove in a blur of movement and stabbed his father in the chest. The blow spun him around as he grasped the blade in surprise.

     Scott coughed blood as he landed near the open window.

     Trevor had his hands up in surrender. The figure scoffed at him and ran after his father. The dark figure grasped at the sword lodged in Scott's chest.

     "Now for you. See you in another life," the robed figure mocked him, as the sword began to slide out.

     Trevor was at his father's hutch where he kept a small pistol. "You're right." Trevor aimed his father's gun and pulled the trigger. A hot flash of laser burst forth, and the dark figure was thrown out the window. Trevor ran to see if the fall had killed the assassin, but he couldn't see anything in the water. He could only make out the waves lapping against the rocks below.

     "Trevor," his father choked. He was lying in a pool of hot red blood. The diamond blade still remained lodged in the hole it had created.

     Trevor held his father's head and watched his eyes grow dull. "Dad, it's okay. It's gonna be okay."

     "She…she is…she is…" Then his father died in his arms.

     A loud vermillion ship erupted from the ground below and shot off into Io's atmosphere. Somehow Render had survived and escaped.

     The assassin was gone, and so was his wife-to-be, his father, and the cure that would've saved his life.

-o-

     Trevor was suddenly jolted back to reality. He was surrounded by familiar figures. "What's going on?" He tried to stand and nearly fell when Boost caught him. He helped him leave the medical station and walk through the main thoroughfare.

     "You've been out for a while," Boost answered. "The doctor has given you something to lessen the effects of the fever."

     "Trevor!" Nathan looked surprisingly relieved.

     Trevor straightened up groggily and looked around. "Did I miss something?"

     "An Eckelion just docked. How do you feel?"

     "Good enough." Trevor wiped the sweat from his brow. He shook off the remains of the fever as best he could. Whatever the doc had administered had some side effects or else his vision was going. When he focused his eyes, he saw the walls melting. He saw nonliving objects whisper to each other. There were odd little things happening all over. He massaged his eyes to no effect.

     "Just follow us." Nathan couldn't look at him. The sickness was pulsing through the kid; his eyes even looked different, lighter almost like they were losing color.

     Kaida and Glade met them at the receiving station.

     "He's looking better…" Kaida seemed happy and then looked at Trevor more closely. His pupils were dilated; he was sweating profusely; and his skin was pale. She didn't finish her thought.

     "He's fine," Nathan answered shortly.

     Kaida wiped away the green bile running down the side of Trev's mouth. The sorrow behind her look said it all. Trevor was glad she had come to like him in the end.

     "Focus," Nathan said darkly. "Look, the anomaly will be here soon; we have to get this star-thing and get out of here."

     Kaida looked like she wanted to object but remained silent instead.

     An Eckelion they recognized from the holograms came through the main bay. He was carrying a little pack on his shoulder—the same one that had belonged to Dosh, the Salarian.

     Just as Nathan went to call out to him, a familiar ship pulled around to dock. One Trevor had been searched for his whole adult life.

     After all these years, Trevor was going to get to fight his father's killer.

     He would get to meet Render, face-to-face.

     The ominous craft left space and entered the station.

Chapter 21

     "Raxus!" Nathan yelled.

     The little Eckelion walked through the docking station, oblivious to the arrival of his pursuer. His head was hidden underneath dark-blue robes as if he was trying to blend in. He was doing a terrible job.

     "C'mon." Nathan ran toward the little creature to warn him. The sleek, dark-red enemy ship slithered through the bay and aimed itself at their group.

     Finally, the little blue hominid looked up and saw the group descending upon him. His eyes grew wide, and he looked like he was going to take off. Then his eyes focused and his mouth slid into a smile. He seemed to hold out his bag toward them in excitement.

     Immediately, Raxus knew his decision to abandon Loffgannon had been the correct choice. After losing his closest friend, he worried he wouldn't be able to find the one the star called for. Cleph'thera must have gathered this crew for him.

     Just as the little man was halfway to them, his ship exploded, and the small creature was thrown sideways.

     "Get him." Nathan nodded toward the crumpled form of Raxus. Boost dodged the red ship's gunfire as he reached the alien. He pulled his small form up and met the group that was running into the station.

     "What are we going to do?" Kaida cried.

     "Make sure they don't get it." Nathan saw his ship far on the other side of the hangar behind the Ruveran craft, much too far to risk an attempt. They put distance between themselves and their attackers.

     Trevor looked at the ship again and almost wanted to huff back at it. It was Render—the one who ruined his life and doomed him to die. "Wait, this is my chance!" he said, as the stress allowed the fever to break through.

     As he slowed, his uncle pushed him forward. "Not now, Trevor. We have to move."

     Trevor looked up at him through bloodshot eyes. "Please…I have to…" He coughed and breathed with difficulty. "…my chance…"

     Nathan looked to Glade. "Help him."

     Glade nodded and put Trevor over his shoulder. He was too out of it to realize what was happening, as he was losing touch with reality once more. Colors climbed across the rusty storefronts. Buildings seemed to bleed together into strange figures. He wasn't sure where they were going, but it felt like the wrong way.

     "I'm okay!" he called. He just needed time to get away from them to get at Render.

     Glade helped him to his feet, and they both ran together. The Asterion wouldn’t let him go back.

     Trev noticed what he'd missed before. This station was a junk heap. Most of the businesses were boarded up. It was mostly filled with Bregomon aliens, the ones who literally ate trash and collected garbage trinkets. But with his vision going berserk it was at least colorful. Together with Glade, he slushed through the dirty streets away from their enemy. No wonder his fever was returning so fast. He bet the medicine he'd been given had expired.

     Then they reached a large, open expanse. Trev looked back and saw figures off in the distance. They were coming from every street and corner, leaving no room for escape. He wouldn't have to try to find Render. There was nowhere to go. Render would find him just like in the dream.

     When they reached a dilapidated, three-story building, Nathan herded everyone in. "This isn't the best plan, but it's the only one left. What do you think of the vantages?" Nathan asked Glade.

     The building was a large industrial factory. It sat at the very edge of the station and had a glassed-in view behind it. The walls were made of metal and were supported by beams. It would be able to withstand a sizeable attack for a short period of time.

     "This is better than the spot I found for our last stand. They have to run across one hundred meters of open expanse to get to us. A three-story building has many firing points. This will give us a chance depending on their numbers."

     Glade closed the door as everyone came inside. Trevor saw some familiar weapon cases and other knickknacks from their ship. This had been halfway planned.

     Nathan turned to Kaida. "There's a way through to the docking bay below ground. Follow Boost until you come up on the ship. Boost knows enough to pilot it around to here. We'll keep them distracted until then." He pointed to oxygen suits near them. "When we see you, we're going to blow this wall and jump to the ship. Boost knows how to catch us. If you have to leave without us though…do it. It will fall to you to figure out how to use the star."

     "I'm not leaving without you," Kaida pleaded.

     Nathan pushed her back. "You have to, in case we don't make it. We can't let them get their hands on any more weapons, especially this one."

     Tears fell down Kaida's face. She hugged him and kissed his forehead. "I love you."

     "It'll be all right," he said and kissed her. "If I die, I'll find you in the afterlife."

     After wiping her face clean, Kaida turned and left with Boost, who was carrying the unconscious Raxus. She gave him one more wordless look, steeled herself, and then disappeared below deck.

     Nathan had been tempted to see what was in the little man's pack—he wanted to know what all this fuss was about—but thought better of it. They didn't have time for that. Now they just had to get it away from them.

     The Void Star, on the other hand, was reaching out for the one it had chosen. It was within arm's reach, calling to be removed and used. It had very little energy left to do what needed to be done. And then the chance was gone.

     "This plan doesn't seem like it will work," Trevor said. He was wavering, but his chance for revenge was keeping him motivated to fight despite being ill.

     "Your opinion is noted. Glad you're back with us." Nathan sized him up. While Trevor had been under, he had discussed the parasites progress with the medics. The parasite was making its way to the brain stem; he would have a couple hours of consciousness before he relapsed and died shortly thereafter. He had just enough time to have his long-sought fight with Render. He patted his nephew's shoulder. "Ready for the final push?"

     Trevor nodded weakly. "I just need to make one shot count."

     Glade opened his weapons cases. Trevor picked up the precision laser sniper rifle. Nathan took out the assault blaster.

     Nathan looked to Glade. "We need to hold them off for twenty minutes."

     Trevor ran up to the third floor. He knocked over a wooden cabinet and propped the sniper rifle on it. Nathan found a good point on the second floor between two already broken windows. Downstairs, Glade placed down mines and trip wires. He grabbed his weapon of choice from his home world—a gigantic bow with explosive-tipped arrows. All three waited.