Silence of Stars Page 6

  She faced me, her eyes holding mine. “You aren’t just any Recruit. You have been chosen as a Captain. You are the queen piece in this program—a key component to saving your world.”

  CHAPTER

  Seven

  The room started to spin as I took a step back. “I don’t know who you think I am, but I can assure you I’m no queen—I don’t even have my driver’s license yet.” I shook my head. “Trust me, you do not want Earth’s fate to rest in my hands.”

  You’re more qualified than you think.

  I turned to look at Gideon and he gave me a half-smile. I didn’t want Grace or Nadia to know he’d used Mindspeak so I turned back around.

  Grace peered at me over the top of her glasses. “You know more about your world’s history than some professors on your planet. Your passion for freedom and gift for recording history make you highly qualified.”

  I lifted my hands. “You don’t understand. Writing in my journal and playing chess don’t qualify me for anything more than major geek status. Pretty much any college professor would be a far better choice. Why didn’t you choose one of them?”

  “No one over the age of sixteen is allowed in the program,” Nadia said.

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “Because that is the way the Council wishes it,” Grace answered.

  I threw my hands in the air. “Why does anyone care what this Council thinks? They sound pretty messed up to me, so why doesn’t anyone fight them?”

  Nadia gasped and Gideon moved to close the door.

  Grace’s mouth set in a line. “You must learn not to say such things, Captain,” she said in a low voice. “The Council is extremely powerful, and they have allies everywhere. You must never question their laws. They have been generous in allowing the Academy to continue, and we cannot jeopardize that generosity. Am I understood?”

  I met her gaze, clenching my jaw before finally nodding once. I worked to keep my voice even. “So that’s it? You’re telling me the fate of my planet rests on my shoulders?”

  Grace’s eyes softened. “Not your shoulders alone. There are others who will be in the program with you, each with his or her own special area of expertise. But yes, you must succeed. Everything depends upon it.”

  “This is crazy.” I blew out a long breath and suddenly felt dizzy again. I swayed and Gideon moved to catch me.

  “Lieutenant, she needs food and rest,” he said.

  This time I didn’t protest.

  Grace nodded. “See that she gets plenty of both tonight. Training begins first thing in the morning.” She stepped forward and placed her hand on my shoulder, sending a subtle current down my arm. “You’re stronger than you think you are, Captain Taylor. I’m counting on you.”

  I was surprised by this sudden expression of kindness. I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “What if I fail?”

  She dropped her hand. “Failure is not an option. If you and your peers cannot successfully complete this program and stabilize your civilization, it means the end for all of you. We’ll do our best to give you training, but the rest will be up to you and your people.”

  My throat turned to cotton. After several heartbeats I nodded. “I understand.”

  Grace smiled. “You’ll report first thing in the morning.” She turned to leave and Nadia hurried to open the door, saluting the lieutenant as she exited.

  When the lieutenant was gone, Nadia dropped her hand and turned to me. “Don’t worry, Lark. It’s a lot to take in, but you’ll understand more as your training begins.”

  I was too numb to respond.

  Gideon came to stand beside me, his intoxicating scent helping to jumpstart my senses like a burst of oxygen. “You can do this,” he said, searching my eyes. “And we’ll be here to help you every step of the way.”

  “Is the lieutenant gone?”

  I turned as two women entered the room.

  Gideon smiled. “All clear. Come on in.” He turned to me as they stepped forward. “Lark, I’d like you to meet my mom and grandma.”

  An exquisite, middle-aged woman stepped closer. She smiled and took my hand, causing a different stream of light than I’d felt from the others. It was smooth like silk. Each person from Lior seemed to have their own unique light signature.

  “We’re so happy to have you stay with us. My name is Saydra, and I hope you’ll enjoy your time here,” she said.

  “Thank you.” It was as if the words were coming from a different person. My head felt oddly detached.

  She gave my hand a squeeze. “I’ll have Nadia show you to your room where you can rest before dinner.”

  A raspy voice spoke from behind her. “What am I? A piece of furniture? Don’t I get an introduction?” The old woman hobbled to stand in front of me and grinned, revealing perfectly straight teeth in her wrinkled face. Her light gray eyes bored into my soul.

  “Lark, this is my mother-in-law, Villy. We’re fortunate to have her living here with us.” Saydra gave her arm a squeeze and Villy playfully poked her in the side.

  “At least they pretend to be happy about it.” Villy winked at me. When I smiled she took a step closer. “I don’t recall seeing Recruits this pretty before.” She bent her head and analyzed me as if I were a new species she’d just discovered.

  “Um . . . thank you.”

  Gideon must have noticed my blush, because he jumped in. “Nadia, I think you’d better show Lark to her room now.”

  Nadia turned to me and clasped her hands. “You’re going to love it! Come this way.” I was momentarily distracted by the smooth light passing through her as she touched my elbow, leading toward a staircase at the far side of the room.

  I’ll meet you back down here at dinnertime.

  I turned, but Gideon wasn’t looking at me. His lip twitched. I tried to frown, but felt an excited twinge in my stomach. Whether I was willing to admit it or not, I craved his Mindspeak. It was obvious no one else could hear him, and the communication felt intimate. I turned so my face wouldn’t betray my feelings, wondering what Nadia would think about her boyfriend using Mindspeak on me. Was that why he’d told me not to say anything about it?

  “It’s just up these stairs,” she said.

  I followed behind her, using the handrail for support since my legs were still weak. We climbed the circular stairway to the very top of the tree, where Nadia turned and gestured to an open door in a small hallway.

  She grinned as I passed. “Do you like it?”

  I blinked several times. The woven roof opened up and I was staring out at the evening sky. The faint outline of the neighboring planet was visible, reminding me I was impossibly far from home. Yet, looking around at the cozy bed and dressing table, it was as if the room welcomed me here.

  “Through there,” Nadia pointed to an arched doorway, “is a balcony so you can enjoy the view.”

  I gave an excited squeal and she laughed. I hurried as fast as my shaky legs would carry me to look outside. When I saw the view, I inhaled, almost afraid to breathe for fear it was all a dream.

  “This is—I don’t even have words.” I drank in the scenery of pastures filled with silver grass. The whinnying of horses filled the air. I followed the sound to what looked like a large stable.

  Nadia joined me. “See those lights in the distance? That’s the city.” I looked past her outstretched arm to see the outline of a glowing cluster of buildings. “That’s where Freedom Fighter Academy is.”

  “That’s where I’ll be trained?”

  She nodded and must have read my anxiety because she put her hand on my arm, sending her smooth light through me. “Don’t be nervous. Lieutenant Hardcastle knows what she’s doing. If she selected you, it means you’re up to the challenge.”

  I gave a half smile. It was hard to find reasons to resent Nadia, even though I wanted to. I had to admit, Gideon deserved someone like her. But that still didn’t make the fact any easier. I looked away and trie
d to act casual as I slid my hands over the vine-twisted railing. “So . . . how long have you and Gideon been together?”

  She gave me a strange look and then slowly smiled. “Since birth.” My eyes cut to hers and she laughed. “You thought we were together?”

  My face flushed. “Well, it just seemed like . . . the way he hugged you and . . . stuff . . .” relief and embarrassment mixed together as she laughed again.

  “I’m his sister, Lark.” Her eyes danced with amusement. “We may have some differences on Lior, but our relationship dynamics are quite similar to what you have on Earth. Or at least what you used to have.” Her brows pulled together for a moment before she glanced at me and smiled. “I’m so glad you like your room.”

  I sighed and surveyed the scene outside. “I can’t believe it’s real. Is this seriously where I get to stay?”

  “Gideon and I used to fight over who would get this room, so my mom decided the only fair thing to do would be to turn it into the guest room.”

  “I feel bad taking the nicest room in the house.” I cast a sidelong glance into the bedroom.

  “This is how we treat our guests. We want you to feel welcome.” She smiled and turned to rest her elbows on the railing. “Besides, we still have nice rooms. I think we just wanted this one because it had the best view.”

  I nodded. Our conversation led me to wonder about something I’d wanted to ask, but was afraid to. Nadia’s openness made me feel like I could. “I’ve been wondering . . .”

  She nodded for me to continue.

  “Well, you said relationships here are similar and I just wondered about your dad. No one has said anything about him.”

  Nadia’s eyes grew soft. “He died. About seven years ago.”

  I drew in a quick breath. “I’m so sorry.” I knew from experience that there was nothing else to say, so I remained quiet.

  She sighed and drew her arms in, hugging them to her chest. I recognized that gesture because I’d done it hundreds of times when thinking about my dad.

  “It happened during an off-world mission. My father was a General in the Freedom Fighting force.” Her eyes grew wistful. “He was so passionate about the program. About giving second chances.”

  Nadia fell silent. I waited for her to continue, but she was lost in her own thoughts. Curiosity finally won over.

  “What happened?”

  Nadia turned but it was like she was looking through me. “A group of Recruits had successfully completed training. They were being shipped back to their home planet. My father had grown particularly close to this group, and he wanted to oversee re-integration.” She closed her eyes. “Their airship never made it. They fell under attack and were destroyed.”

  I swallowed. “Who attacked them?”

  When Nadia opened her eyes again, they were hard. “The Lilthe. They have always been the strongest opposition to the Freedom Fighter Program.” Her face darkened. “They’re scavengers who feed on fear and destruction; always the first on a planet after its inhabitants are annihilated to reap whatever valuables are left behind.”

  “If they’re so bad, why hasn’t the Council destroyed them?”

  Nadia shook her head in disgust. “The Lilthe don’t belong to any one planet. They live on thousands of airships which infest the universe like scattered nests of termites.”

  I shuddered, thinking of their yellow eyes. “They aren’t human, are they?”

  Her face twisted. “In mutated form. Their leader’s name is Roth, and I’ve heard he’s more monster than anything else.”

  The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. The more I learned, the more I felt like I was living in some crazy comic book alter-reality.

  Nadia continued, “Because they’re so dispersed, it’s practically impossible for Lord Krane’s Confederate Forces to hunt them.”

  I nodded. “Guerilla warfare. It played a major role in the Colonists winning the Revolutionary War . . . and a key reason why we were unsuccessful in Vietnam.”

  Nadia arched an eyebrow.

  I shook my head. “Sorry. Sometimes I can’t help myself.” I cleared my throat. “You said something about Lord Krane. Who is he?”

  “One of the leaders of the Council. You’ll learn more about him and all of this in training tomorrow.” She studied me and frowned. “I’ve said too much already—you look positively green! I’m sorry, I tend to talk too much.”

  I shook my head. “It’s nice to get answers. Sometimes I feel like I have to pry with my fingernails to get anything out of Gideon.”

  Nadia laughed. “He’s good at keeping secrets.”

  So am I. We were silent for a moment before I found myself wanting to confide in Nadia. “My dad died too . . . just over a year ago.”

  She put her hand on my arm. “Gideon told us.” Her azure eyes softened. “I think you’ll find that you and I have more in common than you realize. That’s what most Recruits come to find, anyway. We all have different experiences, stories and backgrounds. But our hearts beat the same rhythm: love, sadness, anger, heartache—they are the same for everyone regardless of which galaxy we call home.”

  I nodded. It was mind boggling to think there were countless worlds in the universe, filled with people like me. I glanced at Nadia. Okay—almost like me. She and Gideon were the new-and-improved version of the human race.

  “Do all the recruits from other worlds look—” I wasn’t sure how to put it, “like we do?”

  She giggled. “You mean, do they have eight eyes and slimy green skin?”

  I held up my hands. “Don’t laugh! This is all new to me.”

  Her face straightened as she tried to keep from smiling. “I know, and it must seem very strange. But the answer is that while each world has its own species of flora and fauna the main inhabitants are always human. Some more evolved than others, some mutated, like the Lilthe,” she grimaced, “but human, nonetheless.”

  “Wow.” Mind. Blown.

  “At least of the known worlds,” she amended. “And not so unusual when you believe in a higher power, which we do.”

  “The Council?” I asked.

  She gave me a look and shook her head.

  “Oh. Right. I believe in that, too.” It was painful for our family when any reference to God had been removed from the Pledge and currency. They’d even altered references to a higher power from the Founding Fathers’ speeches. The removal of the carving of Moses on the Supreme Court Building had only been the beginning.

  “Let me show you your things and then you can relax until dinner.” Nadia gestured for me to follow her into the room. I reluctantly let go of the balcony railing and followed her inside.

  She opened a closet door. “There are clothes and shoes in here. Your underthings and pajamas are in the dresser.”

  I stepped beside her and ran my fingers over the fabric of the tunics. They were in various colors of the same pattern as the clothes Nadia, Villy and Saydra wore. Except the sleeves didn’t have the star symbol at the top like Nadia and Gideon’s. The same symbol I’d seen on Gideon’s cuff.

  “What does that stand for?”

  Nadia glanced down at the star. “It’s the Freedom Fighter symbol.”

  I nodded and looked back to the clothes in the closet. “Do you think they’ll fit?”

  She laughed. “Of course. They were made for you.”

  I raised an uncertain brow and took one of the tunics off the hanger. It looked like a perfect fit. “This is crazy.”

  She put her arm around me. “Everything will be new and crazy for the first few days. The key is to take things in a little at a time.”

  “I’ll try.”

  She gave my arm another squeeze, sending a jolt of her soft light through my body before letting go. “Your toiletry items are in the dressing table. The bathroom is just inside that door.” She pointed to a door on the other side of the room. “It’s small, but you have it all to yourself. There are c
lean towels in there. I’ll come get you when it’s time for dinner, but you have plenty of time to shower, if you’d like.”

  “Thanks.”

  She smiled and moved to leave, but stopped in the doorway. “Lark,” when she turned her expression had changed.

  “Yes?”

  “I think I’d better explain one last thing before I go.” She peeked down the stairway before closing the door behind her.

  I tilted my head. “Is something wrong?”

  “No . . . I just . . . here.” She sat down on the bed and patted the spot beside her.

  I sat, not sure I could handle any more information. She’d just explained there were evil aliens patrolling the galaxy who had it out for us, and now she was going to tell me more?

  “There are certain rules to the Freedom Fighter program that must be adhered to. You’ll find out what they are when you begin training tomorrow, but I think it’s only fair to warn you about one of them right now—the most important one.”

  I nodded and waited for her to continue.

  She took a deep breath. “Just so you’re aware, there can’t be any—relationships—between people of different worlds. It’s forbidden.”

  I tried to hide the blush that threatened to give me away. “O-kay.”

  She shook her head. “I’m only telling you this because, as Grandma said, you are more beautiful than any of the other Recruits we’ve had. I thought it would be good for you to know.”

  It felt like someone had punched me in the gut. “Just out of curiosity, why is it forbidden?”

  She shifted. “I told you how some humans are more advanced than others?”

  I nodded.

  “Well, it has nothing to do with superiority, more like time to evolve. When humans have lived for a long time on a planet—and by that I mean generations, not individual lifespans—under favorable circumstances, they are able to utilize more of their brain functions. It’s a natural process of evolution. For example, on a rudimentary planet where man has only been around for a few centuries, you often find the inhabitants are less advanced. Contrast that with a world that has successfully evolved for thousands upon thousands of centuries, and you find humans with vastly developed minds and abilities. Some might even think of them as super powers.”