The Solar Flare (24 page)

     “Who the h
ell was that?” Kaden bellowed.

     “Feels like Robinson was here
,” Torian suggested, looking around cautiously.

     “Cassidy!” Kaden shrieked as he ran over to her. Despite their bickeri
ng, she was occasionally his woman. “Who did this to you?” He demanded as he lifted her head up, surveying her injuries, knowing there was nothing more they could do; her energy had been spent.

     Cassidy c
oughed and spurted blood, losing the battle to breathe. She did not know the man who had done this to her, and she couldn’t think clearly as the fogginess of death overtook her mind. She knew who he felt like. “Robin . . .ssssonn,” she hissed faintly with her last dying breath as she finally gave out.

     The others sensed
that her energy was depleted and then they felt her essence lift out of her body and dissipate into the atmosphere. Cassidy was gone. Warren walked over to Draves’ body lying on the ground a little bit further away, checking for signs of life.

     “He’s dead too
,” he reported to the others. “It’s strange, there’s not even a mark on him.”

     “How could Robinson
have found us so quickly? And why didn’t he stay and fight!” Kaden roared.

     Torian just shook his head. “I don’t understand why he wouldn’t he have tried to take his ship back
,” he said looking at the Andromeda, that obviously had not been touched. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

     “
He wants a fight! He’s messing with us, and he is going to pay for it! I’ll tell you what, once we overhaul this ship, I swear to you that I’m not stopping until he is dead!”

Chapter 18:  Sphene

          Ava opened her eyes and inhaled deeply, still groggy from the sedative she took. She sat up in the bed, noticing she was still dressed in the clothes she had put on to leave the Solstice. Then, she felt her face grow hot, and then the tears came as she remembered what had happened in the hangar. Could Wesley really be dead? What about the others? What should she do now? She felt drained, exhausted from feeling the energy of the new Asterions she was traveling with and from the two strangers in the hangar. She realized what Wesley had told her, that they kept their energy suppressed so as not to draw attention to themselves from human interactions. She did not feel the energy right now; perhaps they muted it after they realized what had happened to her. She thought of Xavier’s energy flowing through her in the hangar, it felt just as warm and thrilling as Wesley’s with a different twist. It had unintentionally opened a channel between them that she did not know how to close. She did not fear him. Somehow she knew that no matter what happened, he would not be a threat, nor would he harm her. Even so, watching him kill two Asterions had upset her. Wesley never talked about ending lives, she didn’t even want to imagine him doing that. In the next instant, she felt Xavier’s energy nearing and heard a light tap on the door.

     “Come in
,” she said softly. He entered and walked over to her, handing her a glass of water, which she took.

     “I felt you wake up. Are you feeling better?”

     “I’m not sure better is the right word,” she replied as she wiped her tears away on the sheets. Then she took a long drink of the water.

     “I’m
sorry if I scared you Ava. I needed to protect you. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to. . . I don’t like taking lives, especially if they are Asterions. Tends to have the propensity for starting wars. . . Did you recognize them?” He sat down on the side of the bed and faced her.

     “No. I don’t know who they were
,” she shook her head slowly.

     “I couldn’t leave them alive.
They knew too much about you . . . especially that deranged older man. He could hear our thoughts.”

     Ava thought for a second. “Draves!”

     “Who?” Xavier shifted and leaned slightly towards Ava with an intense gaze, inhaling sharply.

     “Wesley said that Kaden chose someone named Draves
to fight with him because he could hear the thoughts of those around him, even if they were in another ship, which would give him an advantage in battle,” she explained.

     
“That must mean Kaden was nearby. I thought I could sense someone. . .”

     “We have to go back! If Kaden is there then
. . .”

     Xavier interrupted her
, shaking his head. “We’re not going back Ava.”

     “Why not?”

     “If that woman I killed was Kaden’s mate, he’ll come after me and my family. There is always retaliation. If Kaden and Draves were able to take the Andromeda away from Robinson, that’s all the proof I need to believe that he is gone. I’ve been thinking about this. That is also probably why Robinson didn’t come for you when you were trapped in the cave.”

     “No! I cannot believe it. He can’t die!”
Ava felt herself beginning to panic, deeply disturbed by the recent turn of events.

     “Just because we are Asterions do
esn’t mean we cannot die. Robinson should have told you this,” he said softly. She sensed he was tired, probably drained from what happened in the hangar.

     “If you won’t go back to Earth, you have to take me back to
Kyanos! I need to see my family. I need to know whether or not he is really dead! I need to see Naomi!” Ava sobbed.

     Xavier put a gentle hand on Ava’s shoulder and rubbed her arm sympathetically. “Ava,
please listen to me. Robinson is gone and Kaden is still alive. If your friends are still fighting, then they are involved in a turf battle over that planet. Wars like that can wage on for years. Robinson would want you to be safely out of harm’s reach.” He paused then started speaking again “I cannot take you back to one of the stations either because of that virus that’s spreading around and because of the warrant out for your arrest. . . As if that weren’t enough, if Bryant finds you and discovers that I let you go he might try to kill you himself! And, if Kaden hated Robinson enough to destroy Orionis, imagine what he would do to you if he located you.”

     “
But couldn’t you kill Kaden? I saw how powerful you are, you didn’t even have to lift a finger. . .” she trailed off with a shaky voice.

     “Believe me, . . . I’m exhausted. Telekinesis is extremely difficult, and it takes a significant amount of my concentration. Besides, that’s not the point. This isn’t my war. Kaden is not
my
enemy.”

     “What if Kaden comes after me?”
Ava’s eyes widened in fear at the thought.

     “Then
it becomes my problem and I’ll deal with him, you are part of our family now. But, I doubt that he will. There’s no one left alive back there to tell him what happened.”

      
“I don’t understand why you can’t help my friends,” Ava pleaded.

     “Where was Robinson when I was fighting my
own wars? Where was Robinson when I had the same problems?” Xavier asked, a slight irritation sounding in his voice. He softened and returned to his gentle and calm nature. “Ava, I know you and I got off on the wrong foot and it’s my fault. I am so sorry to have wronged you. However, things have changed and the only way that I know you will be safe is with me now.”

     “What are you saying?”

     “I’m going to take you home with me.” Xavier raised his hand up and gently touched Ava’s tear streaked face, smoothing her hair back behind her ear. She closed her eyes. As much as she hated to admit it, he was making some sense. She didn’t know why, but his touch sort of appealed to her, it felt both soothing and comforting. If she didn’t know Xavier was there, it could have been Wesley touching her. She opened her eyes and studied him. She could feel his sincere concern for her.

    
“And, maybe one day if it’s safe, we can try to locate your friends again,” he said sympathetically as he rose to let her grieve alone. Slowly she began to feel her raw, burning emotions dividing into two separate conflicting causes; one longing for Wesley, praying he was still alive, and one emerging for Xavier.

       Ava could not find the will to leave her quarters over the next
few days as her new companions came and went, checking on her and bringing her food that she barely ate. She felt anxious and sorrowful over the news about Wesley. She could not be certain what that evil Asterion woman had said to them was true, but Xavier was right, the circumstances looked bleak. She felt her heart starting to break, knowing that whether or not he was still alive, there was no chance of being re-united with him now. One day, after a few ignored knocks on her door, Melanie came in to see her.

     “How are you doing Ava?
We’re all pretty worried about you.”

     “I want
to be alone. Can’t you all just leave me be?” Ava responded, irritated with everything happening around her.

     “I’m sorry that I disturbed you. I know you are going through a rough time right now . . . but it’s important that you come with me up t
o the medical evaluation room.”

     “Why?”

     “There are several vaccines I need to give you.”

     “Vaccines?”

     “Yes. It is for your protection once we land.”

     “Where are we going?” Melanie had Ava’s attention now. She sat up on the side of the bed, feeling a little anxious.

     “Our home is a planet called Sphene. We’ve spent a long time developing it and it is not known to the ITO or the general human population. It will be very peaceful there for you.” Melanie smiled proudly. “However, you might be exposed to some things you have no natural immunity to so I’m being extra careful. Come on,” she gestured for Ava to rise and come with her, which Ava did without question.

     Once in the evaluation room Ava sat down in the same recliner she
had been in upon her arrival on the ship. She watched as Melanie produced two syringes that she had pre-filled. She was so emotionally numb from everything that had happened she barely flinched as Melanie administered the two injections. Then Ava took a small nasal device, yet another vaccine, and inhaled its contents sharply.

     Afterwards,
feeling depressed over her situation, and being sore from the vaccines, she went back to her quarters to try and rest. The next day, Ava ventured out to find some breakfast. Melanie found her and asked her if she would like to come with her in a few hours to observe their arrival on Sphene. Having recently seen one landing on a foreign planet was amazing enough for a common human, now having the opportunity to see a second one, Ava could not resist the invitation. They sat silently in the observation deck as they approached a planet a little bit larger than Kyanos, from what she could tell. The atmosphere had a slightly greenish haze, which Melanie explained to her was from the vast green tropical forests and large oceans with green plant life living in the shallow portions.

    
As they descended she observed a large sparkling gulf in the shape of a crescent moon, and as they came closer she saw a large white hangar inland, but still near the water. Nicholas landed the Solstice expertly in the hangar that was so familiar to them and within minutes they were all congregating near the entrance ramp, waiting to go outside. The ship’s hum faded as it powered down and the ramp silently lowered to the ground. A blast of hot, humid air hit Ava as she followed James and the others into the covered hangar. Lots of people dressed in uniforms moved about here and there, working on things, and some had come to inspect the Solstice. Far off on the other side of the hangar, Ava could see another smaller starship in the final stages of completion.

     James conversed casually with some of the uniformed personnel for several minutes in a language she found sounded familiar, but still foreign to her. She felt he seemed relaxed as he came to lead her and the others out of the hangar to a small hover-craft like car similar to the couriers on Kyanos. Ava squinted in the sun and felt awkward in the hot, humid atmosphere, which was a great contrast from the frigid cold of outer space. The drive was short, only about ten minutes before they reached a dock on the green hued gulf. James parked the vehicle in an empty spot, which was apparently assigned to them
, and hopped out. He shed his long black coat, draping it over his arm, as he helped Ava out of the back. At the dock, the party walked up to a large open-aired boat.  After everyone was situated, James took the wheel and revved it up. He slowly backed away from the dock and then they shot out across the water towards the opposite shore. Ava’s hair whipped wildly around from the wind and James’ half-buttoned un-tucked shirt billowed about him as they sped towards their receiving dock.

      After what seemed like twenty to thirty minutes or so, they pulled up and Blayke hopped out, securing the boat with two different ties. Ava noticed there were two Asterion women waiting fo
r them on land. The boat rocked unsteadily due to the rough waters and the wind making exiting the boat difficult. James took hold of Ava to steady her assent onto the wooden platform since she was not used to this. Once everyone was safely out of the boat, she witnessed Blayke embrace a woman with light brown curly hair and freckles. Nicholas kissed a woman with medium length black hair and hazel eyes. After a few moments, all eyes turned to Ava, and they were all smiling warmly.