Shiver and Bright (2 page)

“You are good at that.”

He smiled, his blue hair rising slightly. “I know every inch of every piece of equipment issued by Station 13.”

“Wow.”

“I had a lot of time to learn all the ins and outs while waiting for a personnel match. It never came, so I focused on my equipment.”

Nat smirked, “As have many men before you.”

He paused and he looked at her. “Are you joking with me?”

To her amazement, his blue eyes glowed and he flicked the gaze over her from head to toe. “When we get to the station, we can outfit you with some more appropriate clothing while you get your bearings and plan your next move.”

“You seem to have complete faith in my ability to defend my family.”

“I have read your file. Although you have minimal formal education, your parents provided you access to the archive through channels I can only imagine. You have what would otherwise be advanced degrees in tectonic manipulation, electronic repair, molecular vibration and a flair for Kozue war poems.”

Nat blinked and took a seat at the table. “That is...I had no idea I was being monitored.”

“With the link that your father had rigged for you, it had to go through a number of channels and a secure relay station. Whether you knew it or not, you had a private tutor guiding your studies.”

He set the beverage unit and generated a pot of tea.

When she had the cup between her palms, she inhaled the scent of the brew and smiled. “He was so proud that day when he brought the com unit into our home with the charging pack. I had to get on the roof and install the panel between the two roofs. The vice chancellor was not supposed to do silly things like climb on roofs and get caught doing it.”

“I can imagine it would have been beneath his dignity.”

She laughed and sipped her tea. “No. Like my mother, my father was not equipped for regular village life. He couldn’t replace his own shirt closures.”

“So, you did the work and attended your studies. My opinion of you rose higher, which is surprising as it was fairly high to begin with.”

She blushed. “So, how long will it take us to get to the station?”

“Two more hours. They are in orbit around Dyenka 6.”

“They are in the system?”

“Yes. It made it easier to deploy me if I was in the same star system. It took me ten hours from notification to being at your side.”

“So, I will ostensibly be ten hours from home.”

“You will, but you will not leave the safety of Station 13 without authorization and a pilot. You can’t just run home. It will not be allowed.”

Nat scowled. “I know why I can’t go on my own, but you are warning me like I am an unpredictable and uncontrolled child.”

“You are new to your talent and new to the training that Kaylee and Dirven will put you through. You will know every aspect and most of the potential of your talent before you leave and that is very important. You arrive as a refugee; you will leave a Citadel Specialist or even a Master.”

Nat sipped at her tea. “How long would that take?”

“It is up to you. If you show complete control over your abilities, you will be a Specialist in no time. If you need help, it might delay that process.”

“So, it is literally up to me.”

“As are most things in life. When it comes to the big stuff, we are the only ones we can call on. You are the only person under your complete control.”

She smiled and started thinking. Nat could prove most of her skills and mastery over them to anyone, but doing it on a space station was going to bring up a whole new world of complications.

She was still deep in thought when they arrived at Station 13. At first, she thought it was an exceptionally pale moon, but as they approached, the separations in the struts became obvious and the rotating core displayed the work of mechanics, not simply gravity.

From an engineering standpoint, it was impressive, and as they approached it, she realized it was far larger than she gave it credit for. Worvin’s piloting was exceptional, and he took them past the outer layer and into the rotating core.

Inside the station, Nat waited until Worvin nodded to her before she got up and grabbed her bags out of the storage lockers.

The light panel above the exterior hatch went from soft grey to bright blue. Worvin hit the keypad on one side of the exit and the lock whirled.

Worvin explained. “This is a science vessel used to transport experiments. No one can get in or out without a code.”

“The shuttle or the station?”

He smiled. “Yes.”

She snorted and took that to mean that he was referring to both. The door swung open, and she took steps on the first space station she had ever seen.

The air tasted funny, but there was an earthy undercurrent to it that was familiar. “Saffra flowers?”

He inclined his head. “You have keen senses.”

She snorted and followed him down the metal walkways into the station. “Not particularly. They grow by my house. I would be an idiot not to recognize the similarity.”

“We have an oxygen farm on the station. The green space uses the most benign and oxygen-producing plants we can find. Horticultural talents work to splice breeds together, but it is very rare that they can improve on nature.” Worvin was matter of fact as he took her deep into the station.

A woman with a pale body and long hair was waiting for her in an office. “Welcome, Nathaly Welling. My name is Kaylee Morgan Lacoss, and I am in control of this station.”

“Pleased to meet you, Kaylee. Thank you for sending a rescue.”

The woman waved her to the available chair. “It was no trouble. Worvin was happy to get out. Worvin, thank you for the retrieval. You can resume your normal schedule.”

Worvin paused. “I...Yes. Of course.”

He turned and left the office.

Kaylee smiled. “Congratulations. I haven’t seen Worvin that close to confrontation in a while.”

“Why congratulate me? His emotions are his own.” Nat took a seat and eyed the woman with the delicate features and the occasional flicker of transparency.

“Indeed. What a sensible way to look at it. Now, we have taken you in on a contingency basis. What can I help you achieve?”

Nat scowled. “I want to go home and free my parents. What do I need to do that?”

“Well, Miss Welling, you need to become more than you are.” Kaylee sat back. “It is as simple as that.”

With the cryptic statement between them, the director of Station 13 slid a contract over to her and smiled.

Reading over the form, Nat raised her eyebrows a moment before she put her signature and thumbprint down.
Challenge accepted.

With slow control of her breathing, Nat folded her clothing from home and slipped on the new outfit that Worvin had delivered. It was definitely different from anything that she would wear at home, but it did suit her talent.

The laces of the top would not be rattled loose or affected by the fields that her talent generated. The rings that held the skirt in place would eventually need to be reinforced, but they were solid enough for now.

Friction closures didn’t work on her, but the drawstring trousers and the lace-up tunics she normally wore wouldn’t make a good impression or prove that she was a woman in control of herself and the destinies of those around her. Becoming a Citadel Master was her only option, and she was going to do it as quickly as possible.

The boots were also laced up, and when she looked at herself in the mirror, she knew that this would make the impression that she wanted. Worvin had picked it out perfectly. The fit was amazing as well. It was like the dress was made for her.

She ran her hands down the front of the black fabric and nodded at the mirror. It was time to start the testing and then complete the training.

Dirven Lacoss was Kaylee’s mate, and he was handling the actual application of the monitors.

“The lab is suspended, so nothing you do here will affect the station in any way. You are able to use you talent without fear.” His handsome feline features shifted in a smile.

“Good to know. What do you want me to do first?”

He held up a beaker with blue and clear liquid in it. “Mix this.”

She cupped the beaker in her hands and used her talent to vibrate the contents wildly.

The beaker was hot pink in seconds.

“Can you ignite the contents?”

He was watching his readouts.

Nat vibrated the contents until a flame shot out the top.

“Stop the heat.”

She cooled the beaker and jumped when the glass split and the block of ice was sitting on shards in her palms.

“Oh, dear. Let me just get that for you.” Dirven put on gloves and quickly removed the block, setting it aside in a container before he worked on the broken glass in her palms.

She only had two small cuts that were easily sealed with a spray.

Nat looked up and smiled. “What is next?”

“Next, we put you in that harness and see how much you can shiver and shake.” Kaylee answered her, drifting in through the wall.

“You...”

“Molecular alignment is my speciality, and by extension, Dirven’s.” Kaylee grinned.

Dirven smiled. “Kaylee ran afoul of her own experiments and now drifts through walls at will. She is confined to the station, so I stay here with her. In Alliance parlance, she is known as Haunt of the Sector Guard.”

Kaylee took charge of the session, but Dirven had to do the physical organization.

Nat just had to provide the actual power.

She stood on the plate in the center of the room and shook it as hard as she could. The suspension creaked as she rocked it while standing still. The effect increased dramatically when she gripped a connection to the plate in the floor. The rod transferred the power efficiently, and the violence was apparent.

Kaylee called a halt and looked at her with narrowed eyes. “Do you require contact with the object to shake it?”

“Usually. I have only worked at a distance twice in my life. Neither time was particularly successful.”

“Then, that is what you will work on.” Kaylee grinned and bossed her husband into arranging an elastic ball filled with gel. The ball had sensors on it and was placed off the grid that Nat was standing on.

Dirven explained it to her. “She wants you to vibrate the gel while not moving your platform or body.”

“I will try.”

Three tries later, Nat was sweating as she tried to still herself while shaking the gel. When the small quiver was detected in the gel, she got excited.

Worvin came in and inclined his head. “Apologies, but she has not eaten in eleven hours. You are not getting the proper readouts and desired results because she isn’t able to focus.”

Nat blinked at him through sweaty bangs. “You are keeping track of what I eat?”

“The food stores are part of my domain, and you have made no requests. You need a meal, rest and a change of clothing.” Worvin stood in his dark uniform and crossed his arms.

Dirven looked surprise; Kaylee was amused. “Fine. Take her and feed her. Show her the gardens while you are at it. I think she will enjoy the feel of something akin to a world around her.”

Nat staggered off the platform and inclined her head. “Can I return here and practice when I have rested?”

Dirven nodded. “Of course. I will leave a number of gel sacks staged around the lab. Would you take the monitors off?”

He had put them on himself, but she nodded and peeled the monitor tabs off. “Can you leave a set here for when I return?”

He smiled. “And a schematic of where they go. Go and eat. You have gone from golden to chalky. It is no wonder that your control suffered.”

Nat smiled and peeled off the final tab. “Well, Worvin, I am all yours.”

He paused and nodded curtly. “Please come this way.”

“A charming invitation. Thank you.” Her skirt swayed as she walked across the decking of the suspension platform.

To his surprise, she took his arm. The station didn’t feel right under her feet, but she didn’t tell him that. He simply shut up and led her to the commissary where a number of other beings were getting meals and others were simply sitting around and talking.

“I have put the food compatibilities into the system, so scan your wrist here and the foods you can eat will have a purple glow to them. Well, the trays will.”

It seemed non-invasive, so she scanned her wrist, and it happened as he said, right down to the beverages. Purple lit them up, and she went through and made her selections. The food wouldn’t taste right, but as long as she could digest it, she was ahead of the game.

Worvin sat across from her with his own meal and cup of caf.

“Your clothing looks like it fits.” He smiled.

“Yes, thank you. The fit is perfect. Is it your doing?”

“My eyes have a special orientation assessment skill that I don’t understand, but I can look at anything and know what fits.”

Nat nodded and tried not to laugh at the thoughts that ran through her mind with that comment.

She slowly made her way through her meal and was surprised at the appeal of several of the items. She mentally made notes of which foods she preferred and which her mother would rather see her eating.

“For example, I can tell that you will not be able to eat all that.” He quirked his lips and sipped at his caf.

She blinked and eyed her plate. “Is that a challenge?”

“No. It is an observation. Unless you have an exceptionally fast metabolism, you will not be able to clear all that food. You need to accept your limits.”

Nat smiled at him, it was a slow, dangerous smile. “I know my limits. I am here to push them.”

He stared at her plate ten minutes later, and she smirked, wiping her lips on a napkin.

“I know my limits. I do, in fact, have a fast metabolism. My peristaltic contractions are at three times the normal rate. My father guessed that it linked to my talent.”

She suddenly yawned and tried to keep her eyes open.

Worvin got to his feet and helped her to hers. “Come on. You need rest. Back to your quarters.”