Nebulon Read online

  "Why bother spying on the help, especially a group of underpaid scientists?"

  "We should go and mingle. What do you think about this dress?" she said as she held a red cocktail dress in front of her."

  "Beautiful. I suggest the red strappy sandals to complete it."

  She looked at him. "You know women's fashion?" she asked as he handed her a clutch.

  "Naw, I'm just guessing. By the way. Love the perfume. I may have to carry a stunner to keep the male faculty off you."

  "I'm not wearing perfume."

  "Really? I keep catching whiffs of vanilla. Subtle, yet intoxicating."

  "Must be my shampoo."

  "I'm going to have to borrow it, mine smells like it belongs in a machine shop."

  Nebulon ducked into the bathroom only to emerge a few minutes later in her outfit with hair and makeup done perfectly.

  "Hmmm, stopped," Jason said as he took his own pulse.

  "Stop it…Do you like it, really?"

  "Doc, you're perfect. Come, milady, let's go and induce some cardiac arrests," he said as he led her out the door. All but forgotten, the scent of vanilla lingered in the cabin air.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Lady Laya, Countess of House Jurta sat at her desk and poured over the paperwork for the day's activities. She had just started when there was a knock at her door.

  "Come," she said as she closed the folder.

  Gondel walked in and closed the door behind him. "Countess, I have the information you requested," he said as he handed her a thick sheaf of papers and a datapad.

  "Analysis?"

  "Dr. Nebulon Blyst, forty years of age, Doctorate of Xenoarchaeology from the University of Tralaska, highly regarded in her field. Holds position as Director of Antiquities at the Tralaskan Museum of Antiquities in Capital City. Lead investigator of the Tyen project. She is currently on extended sabbatical with OffSec."

  "Anything unusual?"

  "Yes, two things. She seems to share a genetic abnormality with you, Countess. See page fifty-eight."

  "By the gods, this is impossible."

  "It has been triple verified using samples taken from her home and from the OffSec medical facility on the Cube."

  "What? How? Never mind. What is the second issue?"

  "See Addendum B."

  Laya turned to Addendum B which discussed the Tyen remains. "I want copies of everything and anything that has to do with the Tyen project."

  "Yes, ma'am. Do you want them lost so that no further…"

  "No. They must be allowed to continue. Where is my son at this moment?"

  "On assignment. Whereabouts unknown."

  "Find him,"

  "Ma'am, he and Dr. Blyst disappeared while in route to the planet Rhanna in the Elspeth Expanse."

  "So, you know where he is?"

  "There is no planet at the coordinates given for Rhanna. The ship is nowhere to be found in League Space or the Expanse."

  Laya looked at Gondel for a moment before pressing the intercom button. "Marta, have the Exeter standing by for immediate take off. Have them file a flight plan to the OffSec Cube Facility, maximum speed, then call Director Devlin and set up a meeting with her. Coordinate with the captain of the Exeter. Let me know when everything is in place."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Gondel, you have done well. Let me know when you have collected the data I've requested."

  "Yes, ma'am. Good day, Countess, he said as he left her office."

  Laya sat back in her chair and tried to shake off the feeling of dread. She knew her son was a survivor. He would be fine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  "Director, The Lady Laya, Countess of House Jurta, is here to see you," Nissa said over the intercom.

  "Send her in," Ciara said nervously. She had never met Jason's mother before and was unsure what the woman’sfeelings were toward her son's ex-fiancé.

  The Countess walked in with her head covered in a shawl. Her hands had extremely long straight fingernails with intricate designs painted on each one. Her feet were bare, and Ciara could see equally long and ornate nails emerging from each toe.

  Before Ciara could say anything, Laya sat down in one of the chairs in front of Ciara's desk. She looked at Ciara for a few moments before removing her shawl to reveal long pointed ears poking out from a mane of fiery red hair pulled back in a French braid. Her eyes were the deepest blue Ciara ever saw and the tips of her canine teeth were peeking out from her pursed lips. Ciara was immediately reminded of a painting of a wood elf she once saw in some museum on Earth.

  "Director, it is good to finally meet you," Laya said, obviously amused by Ciara's reaction.

  "Where is my son?"

  "Jason is on a classified mission for OffSec…"

  Laya shot out of her chair and slapped her hands on the desk, putting her face within centimeters of the director's. Ciara looked down and watched Laya's claws extending and retracting. "Don't give me that shit. He may be in danger, and I need to speak to him, now."

  Ciara looked up at Laya and said, "Back-off, lady," as she extended her fangs. Laya replied in kind. “Oh my God! You’re a Tyen!”

  "Director, is everything alright, a guard said from the doorway. Both Ciara and Laya looked at him and the other four guards, fangs still extended, which persuaded the guards to raise their weapons and thumb-off their safeties.

  "Bruce, sorry about that," Ciara said as she put the fangs away. "Just a heated argument over a sports team. You and your team can stand down."

  Bruce looked at Laya who smiled back while retracting her claws and fangs. "Very good, ma'am. G'day to you Countess," he said as he and his people withdrew.

  “Yes, I’m a Tyen, one of the mythical demigods of the Tralaskan people.” Laya sat back down. "Please, I need to talk to Jason."

  "I honestly don't know where he is," she said. Then she explained why. "What is so important that you have to talk to him right now?"

  "You know about Tyens?"

  "I saw the skeleton in Nebulon’s lab. I have to admit that I’ve never met a legend before? How about you tell me what the hell is going on.

  "Where to begin. Has Nebulon determined the origin of the Tyen?"

  "No, they haven't completed the DNA workup. She thinks it’s a recessive trait Tralaskan women carry with them."

  "It is," Laya said. “And I’m living proof. Only my status as the head of House Jurta has allowed me to keep my condition from being known by the Tralaskan people.

  “Why keep it from them?

  "For fear of the panic it could cause. You see, the Tyen are harbingers of danger, danger to the Tralaskan people. They show up when there's famine, pestilence, or invasion. They do whatever is necessary to insure the safety of the Tralaskan people."

  "That sounds like myth. Stories told to children."

  "The second from the last Tyen died about a hundred years ago while on a mission to disable a missile complex in the now-defunct Free Tralaskan State. She went in and detonated a bunker holding several tons of explosives used to fabricate the nuclear warheads. No nuclear material was released, but the site was destroyed. She died in the explosion. She ended the war and probably saved Tralaska from ten thousand years of ice age. A sample of her DNA was stored to be used to identify later Tyen. As you have already surmised, I'm a Tyen."

  "I figured. What about Jason?"

  "He's male. There is no record of a male Tyen ever appearing."

  "But there have been no threats to Tralaska until now."

  "Thirty years ago, the League was on the verge of an interstellar war with the Goranthi. Tralaska was caught between the two superpowers. I was the one who brokered a secret peace treaty between the two sides. The Goranthi had warships in orbit above Earth, Tralaska, and Cora, ready to carpet bomb them with nukes and fusion bombs. Several League Space Navy ships skirmished with decoy ships while the others prepared to destroy the core of the League.You’ve heard of the Battle of Pendar?"

  “Your nie
ce almost died in that skirmish, as you call it. That was a decoy?

  “Ange and what remained of her crew survived due to her quick thinking. Angela would be a great Tyen if not for her being human.”

  "Why haven't I heard of this?"

  "No one has. It was too close, and the Goranthi are nominally our friends now."

  "What does this have to do with Jason and Nebulon?"

  "Being that I am genetically inclined to protect people, I make it a point to check out his friends, lovers, and co-workers. For instance, I knew about the two of you within hours of you and him getting coffee for the first time. And, yes, I know why you and he broke up. Personally, I don't think you were the threat you thought you were. I applaud your discretion, though."

  "What if you had felt that I was a threat to him?"

  "We wouldn't be having this conversation."

  "You were saying about Jason and Nebulon?"

  "During a routine background check, it came to my attention that she is becoming a Tyen."

  "What? I think I would have noticed something like that happening to one of my agents."

  "The process takes years, then it completes in hours. She will be the same Dr. Blyst you know and love, except for a few minor changes in appearance and a ten-fold increase in strength, speed, and mental acuity."

  "So, what's the problem?"

  "There is a critical point in the process where she can be very dangerous. She could hurt or kill anyone around her that she feels is a threat. Jason knows all this, but he may not realize she's turning. Even if they are the best of friends, lovers, mated, it doesn't matter. There is a specific point in the process where she could inadvertently kill him if she feels he's a threat."

  Ciara looked at her, hard. "What happened to Jason's father?"

  "He died."

  "How?"

  "He had a temper. I had a baby growing inside of me. The change happened in minutes instead of days. He yelled at me at the wrong moment. Before my guards could intervene, I eliminated the threat."

  "Does Jason know?"

  "He suspects."

  "Yet he has never said a word about this."

  "Nor about you, for that matter. It took my operatives months to get the whole story of your breakup. He actually threatened one of them when he became aware of the investigation."

  "He's protective of those he calls family."

  "I think he gets that from me."

  "Laya, you have my word that I will do everything in my power to find those two and get a ship to them."

  "I need to be on that ship. I can deal with her without harming her or anyone around her."

  "Understood. I will call you the moment I hear anything."

  Laya stood up and hugged Ciara before leaving her to her thoughts.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  The Ionis’ lounge was filled with faculty and assistants, all mingling and talking about this project or that dig while several members of the crew walked about with trays of drinks and hor d'oeuvres. While Jason felt out of place, Nebulon felt like an apex predator in a herd of herbivores.

  "Doctor Blyst, we finally meet. My name is Dr. Grelis from the Cora Institute of Cultural science. I've read many of your papers. Is it true you are fluent in ancient Erdexi?"

  "As fluent as one can be with a language as little known as Erdexi. I've read your papers as well, Doctor. I was especially intrigued with you work connecting Tralaskan languages with Earth's…" Jason was in awe at how quickly she owned the room, and it was not due to the dress.

  Jason followed her, recording her conversations for later analysis. Occasionally, he would fetch her drink or food, but for the most part he was invisible, which was perfect for covertly watching the crowd and the crew members.

  Around midnight, just as the food and liquor was having an effect, there was a momentary flicker of lights and gravity. "Sorry folks, we hit a little space turbulence. Nothing to worry about.”

  Jason took Nebulon gently by the arm and led her to a coat closet at the outside of the room. When he was sure no one was looking, he opened the door and ducked inside, pulling her in behind him. "What, no dinner first?" she quipped.

  "Very funny. Give me a hand with this panel," he said as he pulled it off and handed it to her. Behind it were a computer access node and a covered porthole. Jason pulled the cover off the porthole and looked at the stars. "We're not in Kansas anymore," he said quietly. "We've shifted position, a lot."

  "How far?" Nebulon asked.

  "More than what eighteen hours at max FTL would allow for and definitely more than what a few milliseconds would allow for." He pulled out a small commlink from his pocket and aimed it out the window. When he finished, he put it on top of a network access port and waited until a green light on the device came on. He put it back into his pocket."

  "What was that?"

  "I snapped a still of the star field and downloaded the NAVComp logs for the trip so far. I'll analyze it later when we get some alone time."

  "You can do that?"

  "I'm not just another pretty face that can cook. We need to get back to the party before we're missed," he said as he put the cover and wall panel back. First checking for passers-by, they left the closet and returned to the festivities.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  They were wakened by the arrival bell chiming over the PA system. Nebulon saw that she had been sleeping next to Jason with her head on his shoulder. She looked over and saw him reading the report about the last group of researchers. "How long have I been out?" she asked self-consciously.

  "About six hours. You don't move much when you sleep."

  "Did you get any rest at all?" she asked, concerned.

  "As usual, I dozed for a couple of hours. I didn't want to disturb you, so I read."

  "Did I hear a bell?"

  "Arrival chime. We are now officially in-system. Assuming this boat flies according to normal real-space rules, we'll be in orbit in three hours."

  "We need to get ready."

  "Already done. While you impressed every prof within earshot, I came back to the room and got everything ready. You just need to put on clothes, fill your pockets, and grab your gear."

  "Clothes?" she said as she looked down and saw she was wearing only a rather skimpy t-shirt. She looked at Jason in horror.

  "It seems you had a hell of a good time at the reception."

  "Did anything…"

  "Nope."

  "Oh. I need a shower," she said as she carefully got out of bed and headed into the bathroom. Jason chuckled as he got back to reading.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Lexa dragged Doma from the meeting room to her quarters. She looked around before quietly closing the door behind them.

  "Now? Are you kidding me?" Doma asked, more than a little confused.

  "No, you idiot. I think I know a way into the ruins which will get us past the force field."

  "Oh, oh, I knew that. What way?"

  She tilted her head and sighed before pulling out a map of the area around the old complex of buildings. "About a quarter-click away from the orb pit is an entrance to a tunnel, which goes into the first building's basement. I think it was for maintenance. Anyway, the door is old and should be easily breached. The tunnel goes underneath the fence here," she said, pointing to a spot on the map behind the first building.

  "So, we get inside. Then what?"

  "We recon their offensive capabilities, their numbers, their defenses, and any means of escape. You heard father during the briefing. The force field mucked-up our scanners. We have no idea what we will go up against when we storm the site. We could be facing slingshots or atomic blasters."

  "What if someone sees us? Veiling seems to be fairly useless."

  "It's useless if there are hoverbots around watching for us. We just need to avoid them."

  "Your father will go ballistic if he catches wind of this."

  "I guess he won't catch wind of this, will he?" she said with a decidedly pointed
look in his direction.

  "No, I guess not," Doma said wishing he was someplace else.

  "Look, since the day Father confronted the off-worlders, all sorts of things have left the first ruin and been carted off to God knows where through the orb. The ship left, and we don't know who or what it will bring back. Father needs our help and I need yours."

  "Lexa, I'm your partner. I trust you with my life and would follow you into any of the seven hells."

  She grasped his arm and gave it a squeeze of affection and thanks. "Let get going," she said as she handed him a hand torch. She opened the door a crack and checked to see if anyone was outside. Satisfied that they wouldn't be seen, she headed outside with Doma in tow.

  ###

  "Are you sure you know where this door is?" Doma asked as he searched the sky for hoverbots.

  "Yes, it should be right here," Lexa said as she pulled plant life away. "Found it. Come, give me a hand," she said.

  After taking one final visual scan of the sky, Doma jumped down into the depression and joined his friend next to the massive door. "You couldn't pick something old and frail, could you," he said as he surveyed the massive metal hatch embedded into the side of the pit.

  "What fun would that be?" Lexa asked. "I've unlatched it, but it doesn't want to move," she said as she pulled the handle. There was the faintest of creaks. Doma grabbed hold and pulled with her. The door started to open, rasping and grinding until there was an opening large enough for them to fit through, barely.

  Once inside, Lexa activated her torch and panned it around to get the lay of the tunnel. She stopped when a square metal plate came into view. "It couldn't be that easy, could it?" she said as she tapped the plate. The tunnel filled with light from illumination panels embedded in the ceiling along the length of the tunnel.

  "Damn," Doma said as he reached up and ran his fingers along a panel, "We built things to last, didn't we?"

  They hurried down the tunnel. As they went, a loud roaring filled the tunnel followed by silence.

  "I think the rocket returned," Doma said.

  "Great. More tourists," Lexa replied.