people at the United Nations?” the President asked.
Meta turned and cast a curious glance his way. “I'm sorry?”
“Oh God, we forgot all about them,” I blurted. “Most of them are under the same curse, whatcha call it?”
“The Dominion Curse is still active on Earth?” Kale asked. “Indeed that may pose a problem, High Prince. Those people are affected by whatever message Calypso inserted in their minds. We need to send a team in and cure them…or kill them.”
The President stood up. “Absolutely not, I will not allow that!”
Meta placed a steady hand on the President's arm. “That is a last resort. I promise we will do what we can to help them.”
The President relaxed slightly. “So, what do you propose?”
Meta looked at Satou who had just completed monitoring the President's vital signs. He began shutting down the machine but he sensed the High Prince staring at him. He stopped and looked up.
“Satou, with Kale tied up at the moment, would you please lead a small team back to the United Nations to administer the cure?”
Satou picked up a metal canister that sat on a nearby table. He shook it with a scowl before setting it down.
“I might have just enough for the people we came into contact inside the building,” he muttered with uncertainty. He glanced at the President. “Did Calypso come into contact with any others?”
“I'm not completely sure, but I'm pretty sure he returned straight to his ship after his press conference.”
Satou nodded. “If that is the case then we have enough, but we must be careful. Those who are infected will be aggressive and will not listen to attempts at negotiations.”
“I want to go with you,” I said.
Satou frowned but didn't protest. “I will need some people to return the President to Earth. We will also need a shield for us in case things get out of control at the United Nations.”
“Take Lianne and Kedge with you,” Meta replied. “I will have Wraith return the president. Use extreme caution.”
Please, God, let this work , I prayed to myself.
Captain Lianne
She tossed her cloak on the bed. The blur of exhaustion started to cloud her vision and she tried to rub them away. When she stepped into the bathroom her reflection stared back at her in the mirror above the sink. Lianne winced when she glimpsed her sandy hair hanging lifelessly around her shoulders. Even though she was only nineteen Earth-years in age, she felt decades older. She switched on the faucet and let the lukewarm water roll through her fingers. Aside from the Royal Command ships, none of the other Consortium vessels had cold water taps. She was so exhausted she would have sold her soul just to splash some icy water across her face. Time like these made her yearn for her home on Caelum where she could float among the cold waters of Steelglass Lake, chewing on some fleshfruit.
“You look like hell Lianne,” she complained to the reflection.
She dried herself off and stepped into the bedroom. Taking her time, she laced each loop of her cloak carefully before slipping it on. She straightened her clothes as best she could. When she turned she noticed the picture on the chest at the end of the bed. The picture had been taken six years ago, when she graduated from the academy. At the time she was the youngest graduate ever, surpassing the record held by Embeth who graduated at the age of sixteen. Tears formed and rolled down her cheeks as she gazed at the photo. They clung to her whiskers briefly before finally falling to the floor in large droplets. It wasn't the memory of graduation that brought her reaction. It was the picture of the man with his arm around her. Her father, Captain Jasper of the Explorer's League, rushed back from an exploration mission just so he wouldn't miss her graduation ceremony. He wasn't always so eager, however. When she announced at the age of nine that she was foregoing her studies at the Science Academy to enroll in the Defense Academy, she
Meta turned and cast a curious glance his way. “I'm sorry?”
“Oh God, we forgot all about them,” I blurted. “Most of them are under the same curse, whatcha call it?”
“The Dominion Curse is still active on Earth?” Kale asked. “Indeed that may pose a problem, High Prince. Those people are affected by whatever message Calypso inserted in their minds. We need to send a team in and cure them…or kill them.”
The President stood up. “Absolutely not, I will not allow that!”
Meta placed a steady hand on the President's arm. “That is a last resort. I promise we will do what we can to help them.”
The President relaxed slightly. “So, what do you propose?”
Meta looked at Satou who had just completed monitoring the President's vital signs. He began shutting down the machine but he sensed the High Prince staring at him. He stopped and looked up.
“Satou, with Kale tied up at the moment, would you please lead a small team back to the United Nations to administer the cure?”
Satou picked up a metal canister that sat on a nearby table. He shook it with a scowl before setting it down.
“I might have just enough for the people we came into contact inside the building,” he muttered with uncertainty. He glanced at the President. “Did Calypso come into contact with any others?”
“I'm not completely sure, but I'm pretty sure he returned straight to his ship after his press conference.”
Satou nodded. “If that is the case then we have enough, but we must be careful. Those who are infected will be aggressive and will not listen to attempts at negotiations.”
“I want to go with you,” I said.
Satou frowned but didn't protest. “I will need some people to return the President to Earth. We will also need a shield for us in case things get out of control at the United Nations.”
“Take Lianne and Kedge with you,” Meta replied. “I will have Wraith return the president. Use extreme caution.”
Please, God, let this work , I prayed to myself.
Captain Lianne
She tossed her cloak on the bed. The blur of exhaustion started to cloud her vision and she tried to rub them away. When she stepped into the bathroom her reflection stared back at her in the mirror above the sink. Lianne winced when she glimpsed her sandy hair hanging lifelessly around her shoulders. Even though she was only nineteen Earth-years in age, she felt decades older. She switched on the faucet and let the lukewarm water roll through her fingers. Aside from the Royal Command ships, none of the other Consortium vessels had cold water taps. She was so exhausted she would have sold her soul just to splash some icy water across her face. Time like these made her yearn for her home on Caelum where she could float among the cold waters of Steelglass Lake, chewing on some fleshfruit.
“You look like hell Lianne,” she complained to the reflection.
She dried herself off and stepped into the bedroom. Taking her time, she laced each loop of her cloak carefully before slipping it on. She straightened her clothes as best she could. When she turned she noticed the picture on the chest at the end of the bed. The picture had been taken six years ago, when she graduated from the academy. At the time she was the youngest graduate ever, surpassing the record held by Embeth who graduated at the age of sixteen. Tears formed and rolled down her cheeks as she gazed at the photo. They clung to her whiskers briefly before finally falling to the floor in large droplets. It wasn't the memory of graduation that brought her reaction. It was the picture of the man with his arm around her. Her father, Captain Jasper of the Explorer's League, rushed back from an exploration mission just so he wouldn't miss her graduation ceremony. He wasn't always so eager, however. When she announced at the age of nine that she was foregoing her studies at the Science Academy to enroll in the Defense Academy, she
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