END GAME

“Well, I’m off!” Suni said happily, shouldering her bag.

“Enjoy your holiday,” Xen replied, giving his friend a quick hug, “and have fun at the festivals.”

Suni smiled and stepped up the ramp leading to the waiting transport. All the cadets at Starcademy were either leaving or were gone for the three-day UPP holiday. Earlier that morning, Tethys had left for Neptune and Atreus had gone to New Andromeda. Now Suni was eager to visit her family on Starbase 7. Xen offered to wait until she left before he departed for Vyrill. Halfway up the ramp, Suni paused and glanced back at Xen.

“No news from Alyna?” she asked, knowing what the answer would be.

Xen shook his head. Suni sighed, gave her friend a final wave, and disappeared into the transport. As the ship prepared to leave, Xen remained where he was until the airlock doors opened and the transport rocketed into space. Picking up his own bag, Xen caused a dimensional tear to appear and stepped through.

*****

Suni sat alone on the transport, staring out the window. It had been so long since she had been able to visit her parents for a relaxing holiday, even if it was just for a weekend. Still she wished she could have said good bye to Alyna, just so she would know the Guardian was all right. Alyna had been called away from Starcademy a few days ago on a top secret mission for the UPP. She hadn’t even been able to tell her friends about it, and had vanished into space without a word of farewell. Suni sighed, watching the stars. She tried her best to think of the joyful reunion she would have with her family on Starbase 7.

“May I sit here, young lady?”

Blinking, Suni tore herself away from the twinkling stars and looked up. A Saturnian man was standing in the aisle, gesturing to the seat next to her. He was wearing a faded multicoloured top hat and long jacket that complimented his rainbow hair. He had a brown suitcase by his feet. Smiling, Suni moved her bag off the seat. The man touched the brim of his hat by way of thanks and lowered himself onto the seat, tucking his suitcase by his feet. Suni returned to her vigil of the stars.

“You seem down,” the man commented.

The Mercurian-Uranusian shook her head. “I’m excited actually. I’m going home.”

“You’re on the wrong transport for Mercury.”

“No, Starbase 7 is my home.”

The Saturnian nodded. “Your father is a technician on the base?”

Suni grinned. “Something like that.”

“I’m heading to the base myself,” the man said. “There’s a market there this holiday and I’m going to make my fortune.”

Suni nodded, not particularly interested in what the man was saying. Still, her mother had taught her to be polite, so she smiled and hoped the merchant was finished talking. He winked at her and smiled.

“I’m selling the future,” the man continued. “A game that will change the way you look at the world.”

Suni suddenly found herself enthralled by what he had to say. “A game? Really?”

He nodded. “Come by the market, young lady, and I’ll give you a demonstration. On the house.”
The transport slid to a stop, and Suni thanked the Saturnian. He touched the brim of his hat as he said farewell and blended into the crowd. Suni watched his top hat disappear around a corner before picking up her own bag and exiting the ship.

*****

Tethys sighed and threw herself onto her bed. Floors below her, she knew her parents were conducting court business in preparation for the festival and wouldn’t be done for hours. That left Tethys with nothing to do. She had hoped to spend time with her mother, telling her about her courses and friends, but after the official welcoming when Tethys had stepped off the transport, her parents had been too busy to see her. The princess had tried to amuse herself by touring the city, but her guards had been instructed not to let her leave the palace grounds. She was a prisoner in her own home.

Crossing her expansive room, she sat in front of her vid-phone and dialed. Perhaps seeing a friendly face would cheer her up, and maybe give her an idea of what to do with her time. Moments later, the face of a middle-aged Andromedan woman appeared and smiled brightly.

“Hello, Tethys! Enjoying your holiday?” Arista asked.

Tethys smiled at the governor of New Andromeda. “I’m afraid it hasn’t been very exciting so far. My parents have been too busy getting the city ready for the festival, so I thought I’d see how Atreus was doing.”

“That’s too bad, dear. I guess the monarchy can’t afford a holiday! Just wait there. I’ll go get Atreus for you.”

Tethys thanked her and waited patiently as Arista’s face left the screen. A minute later Atreus appeared, smiling broadly. His eyes were lit up in amusement and Tethys could hear talking and laughter in the background. Her heart wrenched with jealousy and longing to join the laughter.

“Miss me already?” Atreus asked. “I just saw you this morning.”

“I wanted to see how you’re doing,” Tethys replied, “find out how your trip was, how you family is…”

“Everything is great! It’s a government holiday here, so Mom’s home all weekend! Dad invited some friends over and we’re having a bit of a party.”

“Sounds fun,” Tethys sighed half-heartedly.

“What are you up to, Your Highness?” Atreus teased.

Tethys immediately put on a regal air. “Oh, balls, banquets, handsome nobles professing their undying love. The usual.”

Atreus’ smile disappeared and his face grew serious. “Tethys, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. My parents are just a little busy.”

“And you’re bored?”

Tethys grimaced. The Andromedan was being very perceptive. Sometimes she wondered how he could possibly know her so well. She nodded.

“Why don’t you go out? Take a swim through the streets?” Atreus suggested.

“They won’t let me,” Tethys whined. “There are guards everywhere.”

“Even outside your window?”

That brought Tethys up short. She hadn’t even considered the possibility of sneaking out. It could work, she found herself thinking. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and glared at the screen. Atreus was grinning impishly.

“First of all, you sound like Suni,” Tethys pointed out. “Secondly, I’m on Neptune now, not Starcademy. It’s unseemly for a princess to be seen sneaking out of her window.”

Atreus shrugged. “It was only a suggestion. Admit it, you were considering it for a moment.”

“I was not,” Tethys replied. Yes, Atreus definitely knew her too well.

“If you want, I can send a book to your compupad for you to read.”

There was a knock at the door. Tethys asked Atreus to wait a moment before turning to the door and instructing the knocker to enter. It was one of her bodyguards. He bowed and took a quick glance at the vid-phone. Atreus waved.

“Your Highness, the Queen requests you join her in court at once,” he said.

Tethys nodded and waited until the guard had closed the door before turning back to Atreus. She was grinning broadly and clapping her hands in excitement. Atreus laughed.

“So you’re not forgotten after all. I guess you won’t need that book,” he said.

“Thanks for your advice, and for killing some time. Call me when you get a chance, okay?” Tethys replied.

Atreus nodded as the call disconnected. The princess quickly changed, brushed her hair, and took a deep breath. She gracefully walked out the door and down the stairs, followed closely by her guards.

*****

Alyna glided quickly through space, careful not to be detected. The silver alien ship was directly ahead, moving almost too quickly for her to keep up. Her orders had been direct and from the Admiral himself: follow the ship and report on its movements and communications. Tell no one of the mission. Admiral Band had provided her with the latest UPP translator, which included all the languages the UPP had ever deciphered. The translator, coupled with Alyna’s own knowledge of galactic languages, convinced the Admiral that there would be no problem in figuring out the mysterious language of the strange ship.

She had been following the alien ship for days now. It seemed to be moving without destination, jumping from system to system along the rim of UPP space. The only patter the Guardian could identify was that it was gradually circling deeper into UPP territory.

*****

Suni chatted nearly nonstop at her parents over dinner. Rosie and Bova listened carefully as their daughter told them about her adventures. Rosie was noticeably concerned, and Bova patted her hand reassuringly.

Later that night, once Suni had gone to sleep, Rosie sat on the edge of the bed, staring at a baby photo of Suni. Bova came over and sat next to her.

“Maybe we should talk to Harlan,” Rosie suggested.

“Do you think that would stop her?” Bova asked. He shook his head. “I don’t know where she gets this from.”

Rosie smiled wryly. “From us? From our stories about the Christa?”

Bova pretended to consider this. “No, I think it was Harlan.”

His wife laughed and replaced the picture on the nightstand.

“I’m still worried. She’s already … we’ve already almost lost her several times,” Rosie sighed.

“Her friends are looking out for her, like our friends always looked out for us.”

Rosie sighed and Bova put his arm around her. She hugged him back and smiled as a thought suddenly occurred to her.

“It makes you wonder how our parents felt when we disappeared, doesn’t it?”

*****

Tethys stood at her mother’s left side, right next to the Queen’s throne. Clito had summoned her daughter to observe the wares that would be sold at tomorrow’s festival. It was tradition for the king and queen to be visited by the merchants, both to inspect what would be sold in their city, and to have first pick of the merchandise.

Tethys had bough some cloth for a new gown, some festive trinkets for her friends, and some jewelry. It was getting very late, and the court was tired. King Bran rested his head on one hand while staring at the merchant before him, and Queen Clito was sitting with her eyes half closed. Finally, the chamberlain announced the final merchant with great relief. Clito and Bran sat up straight and Tethys shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

The merchant was an exuberant Neptunian wearing a faded rainbow coloured top hat and a long coat. He bowed deeply to the royals and, catching Tethys’ eye, winked at the princess. Straightening, he opened his battered suitcase to reveal his wares.

“This, your Majesties, is the future. A game that will change the way you look at the world.”

Tethys was suddenly very interested in what the man was selling. She watched eagerly as the man reached into his suitcase and took out a small, black sphere. He held it between his thumb and index finger, showing it to the whole court.

“You simply place this in your ear, and it sends electrical impulses to your brain, making you see, hear, and feel the game. Everything is controlled through your thoughts,” he explained.

“Is it safe?” Clito asked.

The merchant winked at her. “Of course, your Majesty. Would I sell it if it wasn’t?”

The Queen smiled. “I suppose not. Very well, you have our permission to join the festival.”

The merchant bowed. “Thank you. May I present this game to the beautiful princess as my gift for the festival?”
Tethys inclined her head to indicate her acceptance of the gift. The merchant handed the sphere to the waiting servant who was collecting the princess’ purchases. As the court adjourned for the day, Tethys could hardly wait to try out her game.

*****

Atreus walked through the busy streets early the morning of the festival. His parents were near by, greeting friends and buying gifts. Atreus had found a deep blue gemstone necklace for Tethys, and a red one for Suni. He bought Xen a small musical pipe, and was searching for a gift for Alyna. The Guardian had no hobbies that he knew of, and wore no jewelry or new clothes. He was looking at a stand selling small Andromedan dolls when he saw a man wearing a faded multicoloured top hat and coat. Pushing his way through the growing crowd, he found himself standing in front of a booth selling small, spherical devices. The merchant caught his eye and winked.

“Just the thing for that long transport back to school, cadet,” the merchant said to Atreus.

“What is it?” Atreus asked.

“A game,” the man replied. “A game that will change the way you look at the world. For you, free of charge.”

Nodding, Atreus thanked him and took one. He thought maybe Alyna would like it for those long nights alone in space. Clutching the box, he headed home, suddenly not wanting to part with the game. Maybe he would just try it to make sure it was working okay. He was sure Alyna would understand.

*****

Suni prowled the small market on Starbase 7, looking for the Saturnian and his promised demonstration. She had enjoyed her evening with her parents, but the promise of the game was always nagging in the back of her mind. She bought a few things for her friends almost absently as she scanned the crowd. Finally, she spotted the multicoloured top hat at a nearby booth.

“Ah, young lady,” the merchant exclaimed. “Nice to see you again.”

Suni smiled, trying to hide her impatience. The Saturnian must have noticed because he winked at her again and rummaged through his suitcase. Suni’s anticipation increased and she nearly dove into the suitcase herself to get the game. When the Saturnian reemerged, holding a small object, Suni was suddenly so excited she thought she would burst.

“Here we are,” he said, handing her the small sphere. “Just place it in your ear and enjoy the game. It will follow your thoughts.”

“How much?” Suni asked, her eyes riveted to the game.

“For you, young lady, free of charge,” the Saturnian replied with a smile.

Suni thanked him and closed her fingers around the game. She went immediately back to her room, closed the door, and sat on the bed. Opening her clenched fingers, she held the sphere gently in the palm of her hand. Grinning, she placed the device in her ear and waited. There was a bit of a jolt as the game connected to her neural pathways, causing her to gasp and close her eyes. When she opened them again, she was in a new world.

Suni sat on her bed, staring straight ahead without seeing, a huge smile on her face.

*****

Alyna sat on a piece of rock, trying to decipher the latest transmission from the silver ship. The vessel itself was nearby, hovering in orbit of an inhospitable planetoid. Alyna had no idea what it was waiting for, but she believed the answer lay in the communication it was currently transmitting. One word was constantly being repeated, so she was focusing on translating it. She had been trying for hours, with growing frustration and no real progress.

A shuttle approached the ship from the direction of the UPP interior. It made no attempt to signal the larger ship, or to even slow down, but the docking bay doors slid open and the shuttle disappeared within. Alyna quickly added this occurrence in her report to Admiral Band. While her report was being transmitted, her translator finally found a match for her mystery word. Alyna frowned in confusion, not recognizing the species the translator identified, but recognizing the word.

“Game?” Alyna mouthed the word as she read the translation.

*****

Tethys was enjoying her new game so much, she almost missed the banquet her mother was throwing for the festival. Blinking, she disengaged herself and slipped the sphere into the drawer of her night stand. Taking a deep breath to clear her mind of the game, she arranged her hair and left the room. It was suitable, she decided, that she should be fashionably late. A princess must never be the first one at any occasion. Tethys smiled brightly as she entered the ballroom, but her thoughts lingered on the black sphere in her night stand.

*****

Atreus was late for dinner that night. As he wolfed down his food, his parents tried to ask him about his day. Atreus gave them one word answers between bites, never raising his eyes to look at either of them. Arista gave her husband a sideways look.

“The festival celebrations are on tonight,” Arista reminded her son. “Everyone is looking forward to seeing you there. It’s been so long since you’ve been home, the community misses you.”

“I miss them, too,” Atreus managed, “but I’ve got some work to do, and I’m heading back to Starcademy tomorrow, so maybe I’ll see them another time.”

“The festival is only once a year,” Umar, his father, pointed out. “You were just telling us this morning how much you want to go.”

“Maybe I’ll meet you there later,” Atreus said as he left the table and went back to his bedroom.

As she heard the door slam, Arista turned to her husband and sighed.

“Do you think he’s okay?” she asked. “He never misses the festival.”

Umar shrugged. “Maybe something happened today at the market.”

*****

Rosie peeked into Suni’s room later that night, and saw her daughter sitting on her bed, staring straight ahead without blinking. Rosie moved quietly into the room to stand in front of Suni and spoke her name. The girl didn’t move. Gently, Rosie shook her shoulder. Suni blinked and looked up in surprise.

“Mom! You scared me half to death!” Suni gasped.

Rosie sat down as Suni removed the game from her ear. She kept it gripped tightly in one hand, which Rosie noticed. The older Mercurian put her hand on her daughter’s knee.

“Honey, I’m concerned about your new toy. It makes you so … distant. You missed the festival celebrations, and dinner with your father. You know how much he wanted to spend time with you before his shift.”

Suni smacked her forehead with her palm. “Dad’s gone? Mom, why didn’t you call me?”

“We did, several times. We thought you were asleep and your father didn’t want to wake you. You’ve got an early transport tomorrow,” Rosie replied.

Suni glanced over at the chronometer and her eyes widened. “It’s so late!”

Rosie smiled, but her face remained full of worry. “Suni, I know you like your game, but should it really take up so much of your time? So much that you don’t even notice your family?”
Suni returned her mother’s grin and patted her on the hand. “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s just because it’s new. The novelty will wear off by the time I get to school, and everything will be just like it was.”

Rosie stood up. “If you say so. I’m going to bed, but I’ll be up early enough to see you to your transport. Maybe your father will be able to sneak away long enough to say good bye.”

Suni felt a stab of guilt as she kissed her mother good night and closed the door. She changed into her pajamas and sat back down on her bed. The game was still in her hand. She looked at it, sitting innocently in the palm of her hand, and sighed.

“I’ll play for one more hour, then off to bed,” Suni told herself as she slipped the device back into her ear.

*****

Xen waved goodbye to his father’s family as he stepped through the dimensional tear. His holiday had gone by without incident. He had enjoyed the Nightsong again, and eating fresh sephra berries with his cousins. They had played in the fields, flying all over the place like they had as children. Xen had expected his mother to be there as well, but his father had told him Suzee was once again exploring unknown dimensions and no one knew where she was. Although he was saddened by the thought, being with his own kind again made him feel as if he never had left.

The people of Vyrill didn’t have weekends or holidays, but Xen knew when his time was up. With regret, he said farewell to his father and cousins, and a few minutes later had reappeared in his dorm room at Starcademy. His bunkmate, John, was already in the room and nearly had a heart attack when Xen suddenly appeared.

“Can’t you warn me before you do that?” John asked, trying to calm his pounding heart.

“Sorry,” Xen replied, fluttering his wings. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

John smiled. “It’s no problem. You just startled me, that’s all.”
Xen placed his bag on his bed and headed for the door. “Are you coming for dinner?”

John shook his head. “I ate on the transport. See you later!”

Xen waved as he left the room. With his bunkmate gone, John rummaged through his own bag until he found his prize. With a triumphant cry, John activated the small black sphere and began to play the game.

*****

The cafeteria was strangely empty. Even though not all the cadets had returned from their holiday, Xen was hardly expecting the school to be so deserted. He got his food from a disgruntled server and sat at his usual table, half expecting his friends to arrive. They had all planned to be back by dinner so they could spend the meal discussing their holidays before classes started the next morning. Xen ate slowly to give them a change to arrive, but they never came.

Xen was getting worried. Leaving the cafeteria, he headed to the docking bay to see if the transports had arrived on schedule. They halls of the school were just as empty as the cafeteria. Xen’s wings fluttered as he crept quietly down the hall, hating to disturb the silence with his footsteps. He passed the corridor leading to the teacher’s quarters and paused for a moment by the door. He could sense their presences, but their minds were all occupied. He couldn’t figure out what they were all doing exactly, except that they were all in a state of bliss. Expanding his mind, he was surprised to find the same emotions resonating from every cadet in the school. The only minds that were functioning normally were in the docking bay. Xen sat on the ground to give his full concentration to the minds in the bay, wondering why they were not affected like the rest of the school. He knew he had to be as cautious as possible until he figured out what was going on. He counted a dozen minds isolated in the docking bay, and he sensed nervous excitement from most of them.

Flying close to the ceiling, Xen headed toward the active minds. He flew into the lounge, where people often watched the shuttles entering and departing from the school, and peeked out the window. He was completely astonished by what he saw. The docking bay was full of transport shuttles, most of UPP design, but two were unlike anything he had ever seen before. They were much smaller and silver coloured, and armed soldiers were moving in and out of them. Xen counted eleven armed invaders, and a twelfth presence still within the ship. The invaders wore body armour and helmets, but they had spiked ridges down their backs that protruded from the armour. Carefully, Xen scanned their minds. They were completely foreign to him, strange emotions and sensations. Xen was forced to break off contact. He began moving toward the door when the twelfth alien emerged from the shuttle. Xen’s eyes widened and he quickly slipped into a dimensional tear to avoid being seen.

Seconds later, the Master raised his cowled head to the windows where Xen had been.

*****

Xen reappeared in the hall outside the girls’ rooms. His heart was pounding as he sank to the ground and rested his forehead on one hand. The whole school was in a state of distraction and aliens were invading. Xen contemplated calling Admiral Band, but he knew if the Master was here, certainly all communications would be blocked. Fighting down panic, Xen realized where he was and stood. He ran to Tethys and Suni’s room, knowing they would be able to think of a plan. He found their door ajar and pushed it open. Rushing inside, he was brought up short by what he saw.

Both Suni and Tethys were sitting on their beds, staring straight ahead without blinking. They both had a stupid grin on their faces. Xen noticed a small black device in their ears. Standing in front of Suni, he shook her gently while calling her name. She didn’t move. He did the same to Tethys to no avail. He tried shaking them harder and yelling, but there was no response. Sitting next to Suni, he tried to reach her telepathically, calling her in her mind, but found he couldn’t even reach her that way. Breaking free of Suni, he tried reaching Tethys but found her mind equally preoccupied.

Xen was growing more alarmed with every passing minute. Slipping through a tear, he reappeared in Atreus’ room and found the Andromedan was also ensnared by the device. He repeated all the tricks he had tried on Suni and Tethys, but nothing worked. Feeling completely helpless and alone, Xen sat next to his immobile friend and wept.

*****

The ship had not moved in days. Alyna watched smaller shuttles coming in and out, reported them all to the Admiral, and continued her vigil. Her translator was working furiously, trying to decode the last communications string transmitted by two shuttles leaving two days ago. Since then nothing had happened. Alyna wondered how long Admiral Band expected her to sit here. She was, in fact, growing bored. This startled her, since she often had sat motionless in space for weeks without any boredom. Perhaps his stake-out mission would help her regain the patience she had lost.

She glanced down at the translator, scanning the words that had already been deciphered. The now familiar word ‘game’ was repeated again, but this time Alyna noticed the word ‘school’ as well. She was growing more curious by the moment as to what the alien ship was trying to achieve in UPP space.

*****

Xen paced around Atreus’ room. Even by yelling, he had not been able to snap the Andromedan free from whatever spell he was under. He knew it was because of the black device, but was afraid to remove it until he knew what it was. His wings fluttered as he moved, blowing air directly into Atreus’ face. The Andromedan blinked and groaned. Xen was immediately at his side, calling his name. Atreus blinked again and looked over at his friend.

“Xen!” Atreus smiled. His eyes were half closed and he appeared very tired. “How was your holiday?”

“You’re okay!” Xen exclaimed, giving the Andromedan a hug.

“Hey! What’s going on?” Atreus asked, gently breaking free of the embrace.

“What is that thing in your ear?” Xen pointed.

Atreus removed the black sphere and held it tenderly in his palm. Xen was about to take it when Atreus closed his fingers around it. The Vyrillian snatched his hand back and tried to ignore the sudden anger that flashed in Atreus’ eyes.

“It’s a game,” Atreus said, gazing fondly at his closed hand. “I bought it for Alyna, but I think I’ll keep it. You don’t think she’ll mind?”

“A game?” Xen repeated. “A game is making everyone a zombie?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Atreus snapped, fitting the device back in his ear. “It’s only a game. Everyone will stop by dinner, and we’ve got class tomorrow.”

“But dinner is over, and aliens are…” Xen broke off when he realized Atreus had rejoined the game.

Xen tried to wake him again, but found it impossible. Alone again, it suddenly dawned on Xen that it was up to him to save the school and his friends.

*****

Two alien intruders walked down the halls of Starcademy, each carrying a blaster rifle. They weren’t moving very fast, and by the relaxed pace it was easy to assume they weren’t expecting any trouble on their patrol. Still, the Master had felt uneasy about something and it was up to the soldier to make sure everything was okay.

Xen waited with his own blaster, hidden around a corner. He could hear the footsteps growing nearer, and he fingered the weapon nervously. He hated to use violence, but it was the only way he could think of ridding the school of the intruders. Once the aliens were gone, he could contact the UPP and they could figure out how to stop the game.

The footsteps were almost upon him, and he steeled his nerves. Leaping into the hallway, he suddenly felt himself becoming entangled in what felt like a blanket. He was thrown against the wall and a cold hand was placed over his mouth. The guards passed him as if he wasn’t there. Still being held, Xen was forced to wait until the footsteps had faded from hearing before he was released. He shrugged off the blanket and stared at his captor.

“Alyna!” he gasped.

The Guardian put a finger to her lips to silence him as she rearranged her cloak. Xen nodded and clamped his mouth shut. Taking him by the arm, Alyna led him into a deserted classroom and closed the door behind them.

We must speak telepathically, Alyna said.

Alyna! I’m so glad to see you, but they’ve captured the school! Xen exclaimed.

I know. I believe they are using a game to enslave the cadets of Starcademy. We must stop them.

We’re too late! We two are the only ones unaffected by the game. The aliens are already here, and the Master is with them, Xen said mournfully.

This caught Alyna by surprise. Her golden eyes widened and she stared at Xen. The Master is here?

Xen nodded. What should we do?

We must free the students. The school is blockaded and the UPP will be unable to assist us. We must free the school ourselves.

*****

Alyna waited in the medlab for Xen to reappear. More soldiers had arrived, doubling or possibly tripling Xen’s original count. Alyna could hear them moving in the hallway, and wondered why they weren’t bothering to check the classrooms and medlab for students. She supposed that they did not share the Master’s paranoia about taking Starcademy so easily. She was almost glad that the Master had decided to take a personal part of the invasion. Much like her friends, she despised him for the discord he had caused in the UPP, but especially for driving her people to another galaxy and leaving her the last of her kind. Guardians were supposed to be peaceful and helping, but above all else, Alyna craved revenge.

Xen materialized through a tear, dragging Tethys with him. Suni and Atreus were already in the medlab, lying on their backs as they continued to play the game. Alyna motioned for Xen to place Tethys on the remaining bed, which he did so before throwing himself into a chair.

Remind me to tell Tethys she’s heavy, Xen said as he took a deep breath.

Alyna gave him a half smile. At least you did not have to carry Atreus, and I would not mention weight to Tethys if I were you.

Xen smiled and stood up. Crossing his arms over his chest, he moved next to Alyna and stared at his semi conscious friends. What now?

Now we wake them up, Alyna replied.

*****

Tethys was running through a forest, a gun in her hand and six enemy mutants ahead of her. She was breathing hard, but she knew that with their deaths, the treasure would be hers. All she needed was one more key to move out of the forest and onto the castle. She caught one mutant in her sights and fired. It fell and she jumped over it without stopping. Another enemy materialized in front of her, and she clubbed it with the butt of her gun, knocking it to the ground. She fired a quick shot at it to make sure it wouldn’t follow her, and kept moving.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her head. Dropping her weapon, she fell to her knees, clutching the sides of her head in agony. The forest around her wavered and vanished to be replaced by water. It took her a moment to realize she was in a pool, sitting on the bottom. A small black sphere rested by her knee, and she picked it up. Two strong hands grabbed her arms and hauled her to the surface.

“Tethys?” Xen asked, looking at her closely.

“Xen?” Tethys asked, shaking free of his grasp. She almost fell back into the water.

“She’s okay,” Xen called to someone behind her.

Tethys turned around and felt her vision swimming. She was being held by Xen half in a pool of water in what appeared the be the medlab of Starcademy. With Xen’s help, she climbed out of the pool and walked shakily towards Alyna, who was waiting with a blanket. Tethys felt exhausted and leaned on the Guardian as she was taken to a waiting bed.

“Alyna? What are you doing here? What am I doing here?” Tethys’ head was spinning as she caught sight of Suni and Atreus lying with their eyes wide open beside her. She stared in shock.

“Suni? Atreus?” she whispered.

“They will be fine,” Alyna promised. “Rest, and I will explain everything to all of you when you wake.”

Tethys lay back and, in spite of her thousands of questions, could not keep her eyes open a second longer.

*****

The Neptunian awoke what felt like seconds later to find Xen sitting next to her. The Vyrillian smiled happily as she opened her eyes, and helped her sit up. He handed her a bowl of broth.

Eat this, he said in her mind.

Tethys was too hungry to be surprised at the telepathy. She drank the broth greedily, and had several glasses of water as well. Xen stood up and Tethys’ eyes followed him as he moved to where Suni and Atreus lay, both asleep.

“Xen,” Tethys said.

The Vyrillian put his finger to his lips. We are not alone. Think your words and I will hear you.

Tethys tried hard to form a sentence in her mind, but all she could do was project her emotions. Xen nodded sadly.

You are tired, confused, scared, and concerned. I understand, but don’t worry. You are safe and well. Alyna has gone to find food.

Why do I have to think my words? Tethys managed.

Very good, Xen told her. The Master and a large army have invaded Starcademy. They used the game to turn all the students and faculty into zombies. I guess they forgot about my dimension.

Tethys looked over at Suni. The Mercurian-Uranusian seemed paler than usual, and had a few batteries scattered around her. Tethys looked at Xen questioningly.

We couldn’t just pull the game out of your head, so we had to short them out, Xen explained. It was easiest for you – we just put you in water, knowing you could breath through your gills. We had to make Suni short out, which drained her of all her electricity.

Atreus? Tethys asked.

I freed him once before by making him blink, so we kept dropping water into his eyes. He’s just fine, but I’m sure he’ll be annoyed when he wakes up.

Tethys had to smile. Alyna reappeared in the medlab with food stolen from the cafeteria, and Tethys found herself eating the best meal she had ever had. It wasn’t that the food was delicious, but that she hadn’t eaten for several days and hunger can make any meal look like a feast. Atreus woke up a few minutes later, and Alyna explained everything to him as he ate. Suni still had not moved.

“We cannot stay here,” Alyna said. “The soldiers are increasing. We must hid on a lower deck.”

“How will we get there?” Atreus asked.

“I can lead us through a tear,” Xen volunteered.

“Why don’t you just take us to the UPP?” Tethys asked.

Xen blushed. “I’m not sure if I could find Earth. I’ve never been there before, and if I did find it, I don’t know where we’d end up. From what I’ve learned here, it’s not a small planet.”

“Smaller than some, but you’re right,” Atreus sighed. “What about Suni?”

“Perhaps if we connect her to the schools main power grid?” Xen suggested.

Atreus shook his head. “That could short out the school. Suni can hold a big charge, you know.”

“She should recharge on her own, since you’ve given her some energy,” Tethys commented. “She just needs some time.”

Xen suddenly spun around to stare at the door. “I feel five – no six minds just outside the door, coming towards us.”

“Looks like we’ve run out of time,” Atreus said, lifting Suni gently into his arms.

Alyna and Tethys took the rest of the food and water as Xen formed the tear. Holding hands, the four friends disappeared. A minute later, the door to the medlab opened and six armed soldiers burst in, followed by the Master. He glanced around the room and growled in anger.

*****

Admiral Band stood on the bridge of the Goddard, staring in distaste and disbelief at the small swarm of silver ships hovering around Starcademy. He was reminded of the last invasion of the school, many years ago, when the Spung had taken over and Matter had lost his life. He was thankful that Alyna had reported the invasion, regrettably too late to prevent it. There had been no threats, no demands for ransom or surrender, only silence.

Turning around, Harlan’s eyes fell on Rosie, sitting anxiously at the edge of her seat, her eyes glued to the viewscreen. Bova sat beside her, the Admiral’s second-in-command on this mission, looking just as concerned as his wife. Rosie had been speculating as to how the invaders had managed to take the school so easily.

“It must have been a virus of some sort,” Rosie murmured. “Suni was acting strange the whole holiday. I should’ve brought her to the medlab, run some tests. She could be dying of a disease right now!”

Bova took his wife’s hand and held it tightly.

“The last transmission from Alyna didn’t mention a virus,” Harlan mused. “Maybe there was someone on the inside who let them in.”

Rosie paled at the thought. “A traitor?”

“Then why haven’t the students or faculty retaliated?” Bova questioned. “The invaders just moved in without a fight.”

Harlan sat heavily in his chair and sighed. “The information Alyna sent isn’t very helpful either, I’m afraid. Her last report said she was heading to Starcademy because she thought there might be an invasion attempt. I’m not sure how she figured that out. Most of the communications are untranslatable, except for a few words here and there.”

Bova shook his head. “You shouldn’t have given Alyna the best translator.”

“I had hoped she would send us the translations, not the actual transmission,” Harlan replied dryly.

Holding out his hand, an ensign placed a compupad in it and went back to his position. Wordlessly, Harlan gave the compupad to Bova, who scanned the contents.

“This is gibberish,” Bova exclaimed.

“That’s what Alyna sent us. A few words are translated,” Harlan said, pointing to a few understandable words.

“Game?” Bova read. “Is this just a game to them? Is that what they’re doing?”

Harlan shook his head. “Some game. Our cadets are being held hostage and they’re just playing around.”

Rosie shook her head and gazed at the school. “Whatever is going on, it’s up to Alyna and the others to break the barricade.”

*****

Atreus adjusted Suni’s weight on his back, careful not to let go of Tethys’ hand in front of him. He could see Xen at the head of the line, pushing a path between the dimensions, with Alyna holding his hand and Tethys behind her. A moment later, Atreus was clear of the tear and suddenly found himself standing in the bowels of Starcademy.

They were in the furnace room of the school, next to the deafening machinery that maintained Starcademy. Tethys immediately turned to Atreus, worry in her eyes. Atreus looked questioningly at his friend.

“What?” he asked.

“Doesn’t the noise bother you?” Tethys asked.

Atreus blinked. “What noise?”

The Neptunian looked as if she was on the verge of tears. Xen bit his lip and fluttered his wings anxiously. Alyna shook her head.

“It appears that the game has had some side effects,” the Guardian commented.

Atreus was listening carefully to the sounds around him. He could hear a dim pounding, barely noticeable, which he assumed was the furnace. He could no longer hear the heart beats of his friends, or the people on the floors above him. A bubble of panic was forming in his gut as he realized how restricted his hearing now was.

“Is this how you guys hear?” he asked in a wavering voice. “Interesting.”

“Atreus..” Tethys murmured, putting a hand on his arm.

He forced a smile. “I’m okay. I’ll be fine.”

“He’s taking this well,” Xen whispered to Alyna.

The Guardian said nothing, regarding the Andromedan carefully. Atreus gently placed Suni on the ground and turned to Xen.

“What now?” he asked.

Xen blinked in surprise. “You’re asking me? I’m not in charge.”

“You got us free of the game,” Tethys pointed out. “You are in charge.”

Xen shook his head and glanced down at Suni, then back up at his friends. They were waiting expectantly; even Alyna was watching him. Xen’s wings fluttered and he cleared his throat.

“I guess we should, um, free the rest of the cadets,” Xen said hesitantly. “If we free them, we can overpower the invaders.”

Tethys and Atreus nodded. Xen smiled, encouraged by his friends’ support.

“How can we disengaged all the games at once?” Alyna asked. “We cannot submerge the school under water.”

“There’s got to be another way,” Tethys mused. “If we still had the device, maybe we could find a design flaw.”

Atreus fished around in his pockets for a moment before drawing out his black game sphere. He tossed it to Tethys, who caught it in surprise.

“You took it?” Tethys asked.

Atreus shrugged. “Force of habit? I just couldn’t leave it there.”

The Neptunian tossed the game to Alyna. “Take a look at it. You’re better at this kind of thing than I am.”

The Guardian dipped her head in acknowledgement. Sitting down on the ground next to Suni, she began to play with the mechanics of the game. Xen sat next to Suni and tried to wake her with a gentle shake. He was rewarded with a small groan, but Suni’s eyes didn’t open.

“She needs another jolt, I think,” Xen remarked. “I don’t think she has enough juice to recharge on her own.”
Atreus picked the Mercurian-Uranusian up again. “Shall we head to the main power grid?”

Xen nodded, and he and Tethys followed Atreus to the door. Xen paused as he reached the doorway and glanced back at the Guardian.

“I will remain here until you return,” Alyna said without looking up.

Xen shrugged and followed his friends.

*****

In the docking bay, the Master sat alone in his ship. His fingers tented before his face, he considered the renegade cadets that had broken free of his game. His agents had overlooked the Vyrillian, a mistake none of them would repeat again, and in doing so had exposed his whole plan to chaos. The Vyrillian had somehow freed his friends, the same group of cadets who were constantly thwarting his efforts to weaken the UPP. Something must be done.

“They’re in the sublevels of the school,” the Master thought aloud. “Suni Ianni is weakened. The batteries left in the medlab and the presence of only four people through the dimensions prove that. So where would they go now?”

Glancing at the schematic layout of Starcademy he had before him, the Master plotted several possible courses of action. Without him moving a muscle, a cup of hot coffee floated towards him and rested in his waiting hand. He sipped the liquid and made a face. The Earthers had poor taste in beverages, he thought.

“Soldier, order the main power grid to be reduced by 95%,” the Master called to a waiting guard. “If any power is taken from this school, I want life support to be the first thing to go.”

“Yes sir,” the soldier saluted and ran to complete his task.

The Master leaned back in his chair. “We’ll see how well your insurrection goes without your leader.”

*****

One moment Xen was following his friends down the corridor, and the next moment it was pitch black. Xen waited several breathless seconds for the emergency lighting to come on, and looked questioningly at his companions. Silhouetted in the dim light, Xen could see Atreus holding Suni, and Tethys right behind him, looking at Xen.

“What happened?” the Vyrillian asked.

“Looks like the Master shut down the power,” Atreus remarked. “We won’t know for sure until we get to the power grid.”

The trio started moving again, slower this time, until they reached their destination. Atreus grinned and was about to open the door, when Xen suddenly pulled him and Tethys into the shadows. A minute later, the door opened on its own and four armed guards came out. The cadets waited until they were long gone before slipping into the room.

Tethys went immediately to the display boards, trying to figure out what the status was. Atreus remained near the door, still holding Suni

“They’ve got power so low, only gravity and life support are working,” Tethys remarked in disgust. “I can’t figure out what they did to the rest of the power. It’s just gone.”

“Nothing extra at all?” Xen asked, wondering what would happen to Suni if she couldn’t recharge.

Tethys shook her head. She glanced over at Atreus, who was standing next to the door with his head against the wall and his eyes closed. As the Neptunian approached, she could hear him muttering to himself.

“What’s wrong?” Tethys asked softly.

Atreus didn’t even bother opening his eyes. “I couldn’t hear them.”

“Who?”

“The guards. They were on the other side of a thin metal door and I couldn’t hear them. I almost walked right into them.”

Tethys sighed. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. Anyone could have made the mistake.”

“Not an Andromedan,” Atreus replied hotly. “What good is an Andromedan who can’t hear?”

Hesitantly, Xen broke up the conversation. “We should go back. There’s nothing we can do here.”

“Or anywhere,” Atreus muttered so low, only Tethys could hear him.

With Xen in the lead this time, they made their way back to Alyna.

*****

Alyna raised her head as her friends returned. All three of them looked very dejected, and Suni still had not woken up. Wordlessly, Atreus lay his friend on the ground and retreated to an isolated corner to be alone with his thoughts. The Guardian didn’t need Xen’s empathic abilities to realize Atreus’ grief and frustration. Tethys sat next to Suni and Xen remained standing watch by the door. Alyna returned to her work and the next hour was spend in complete silence, each cadet lost in their own worlds.

“Tethys,” Alyna said, her word shattering the stillness.

The Neptunian raised her head. Alyna tossed the game to her and she caught it easily with one hand. Glancing from the sphere in her hand to the Guardian, she raised one eyebrow questioningly.

“Place it in Suni’s ear,” Alyna instructed.

“No!” Xen exclaimed, moving quickly to stand next to Suni. “The game..”

Alyna shook her head. “I have programmed the sphere to emit an electrical discharge. It should be sufficient to wake Suni.”

“If you say so,” Tethys replied skeptically.

She died as she was told and stepped back. From the corner of her eye, she saw Atreus watching intently. The game activated on its own, and for a moment nothing happened. Suddenly there was a spark of electricity and Suni’s eyes flew open. She saw up quickly, pulling the sphere from her ear and tossing it aside. She rubbed her head and glared at her friends.

“Ow! What gives?” Suni demanded.

Tears of joy sprang into Tethys’ eyes as she embraced her friend. Xen gave a little cheer, and Atreus smiled to himself. Suni disentangled herself from Tethys and looked around.

“Why are we in the furnace room?” she asked.

Laughing, Tethys explained their situation. Xen found himself blushing as the Neptunian told Suni how he had saved them all. Suni laughed at his embarrassment but was subdued as Tethys explained Atreus’ hearing loss. Rising shakily to her feet, Suni moved to sit next to her oldest friend. The two spoke quietly together as Xen, Alyna, and Tethys discussed the next phase of their plan.

“I have determined a range of frequencies that may short out the game,” Alyna said.

“A range?” Tethys repeated.

“The game was already damaged, so I cannot say for certain, but it should cause the game to overload at any of these pitches.”

Suni and Atreus came over to join the conversation. Atreus seemed a little less troubled after his talk, but still not quite his normal self. Suni was full recovered, eager to be involved and to stop the Master’s plan.

“How do we do it?” Suni asked.

Alyna shrugged. “We would have to disengaged all the games at once for it to be effective.”

Xen’s hopes fell. “There are thousands of games there. We can’t possibly be everywhere at once!”

Suni’s eyes glanced up at the ceiling and a smile spread across her face. Patting Xen on the shoulder, she gestured with her chin.

“I think I know a way.”

*****

Harlan’s fingers drummed against the armrest of his chair. The viewscreen still showed the enslaved Starcademy, with a few dozen ships circling around it like vultures. Neither side had made a move. The Admiral’s mind was racing. He could engage the enemy, storm the school, and rescue the cadets, but he had no way of knowing what the situation was like inside the school. The invaders could be preparing to blow it up, could have already wiped out the cadets and staff, or could be waiting for an excuse to do either. He calmed the impulsive side of his nature with the persistent logic he had developed while leading the UPP. He didn’t need thousands of deaths on his conscience.

Bova came into the command post and sat next to his friend. Harlan’s eyes didn’t move from the viewscreen.

“The fighters are ready, Admiral,” Bova reported.

Harlan made no reply.

“The invaders are still ignoring communication attempts,” the Uranusian continued. “We’re all awaiting your command, sir.”

Harlan took a deep breath and passed a tired hand across his face. He turned to look at Bova.

“No word from the cadets, either?” he asked.

Bova shook his head. “No, sir. I recommend we take the initiative.”

“End the stalemate,” Harlan said with a slight nod. “We have no idea what’s going on inside Starcademy. If we attack, we could be endangering the cadets.”

“They’re already in danger,” Bova pointed out.

“You’re right,” Harlan agreed, rising to his feet. “Scramble the fighters. Put them into attack formation, but wait until the invaders respond before firing.”

Bova grinned. “Yes, sir!”

As his second-in-command issued his orders, Harlan walked up to the viewscreen. Minutes later, his own fighter ships appeared on the screen, soaring through space to meet their unknown opponents. Harlan allowed himself a slight smile as he remembered being at the helm and flying against the Spung. He watched intently as several invader-ships broke free from their patrols and moved out to meet the UPP force. Almost at once, the battle was engaged.

“Admiral,” an officer said, “there’s a message for you.”

“Show me,” Admiral Band ordered.

The image of the battle outside Starcademy disappeared from the viewscreen and was replaced with a familiar face. Harlan smiled broadly.

“Heard there was trouble,” Radu said with a grin. “Thought we could lend a hand.”

Harlan motioned to an ensign and the viewscreen split. Half still showed the Andromedan Warlord, but the other showed three Spung killcruisers joining the battle.

“We appreciate all the help we can get,” Harlan told him. “Care to join us so we can better coordinate our efforts?”

Radu nodded. Sitting at the helm of a Spung killcruiser, Radu appeared very fierce. The scar that ran across the right side of his face only heightened his formidable appearance. He disengaged the communications, and the viewscreen was once again wholly dedicated to the battle.

*****

The gang crept through the halls of the school, with Xen leading the way. The Vyrillian kept his mind open to as many minds in Starcademy as he could, scanning for armed guards up ahead as well as trying to keep tabs on the cadets. It was mentally exhausting.

Suni followed, keeping one worried eye on Xen while also watching for soldiers. Atreus came next, with Tethys and Alyna bringing up the rear. As a patrol came down the hall, Xen brought his friends into a classroom to avoid them. He sat on the ground, his wings drooping, and rested his head in his hands. Atreus sat next to him.

“Are you all right?” Atreus asked.

Xen raised his head. “I’m fine, just tired. Please, don’t be concerned.”

Atreus lowered his gaze to his fisted hands. “I should be able to help you. I should be able to hear the soldiers moving.”

“I can manage,” Xen assured him.

“All clear,” Suni reported from the doorway.

Xen patted Atreus on the shoulder and walked towards Suni and the other. Atreus remained where he was for a moment longer, watching his friends assembling without him.

“That’s not the point,” Atreus sighed.

*****

“We must reach the main office quickly,” Alyna said as they hurried down the halls, much faster than they had been moving earlier.

“The main concentration of invaders are gathered around there,” Xen reported, following close behind her.

“Can you teleport us there?” Tethys asked.

Alyna shook her head. “I am not strong enough. I will go on my own when we are closer.”

Xen glanced behind the group and his eyes widened in surprise. He had been conserving his energy by only watching for the minds of the invaders and disregarding the collective thoughts of the cadets. Now he sensed a large, powerful emotional force forming behind them. It was not a positive emotion either – what he sensed was pure rage.

“Uh, guys?” Xen spoke up. “We’d better run.”

His friends stopped to look behind them. From around the corner came about a hundred cadets, all lost in the game. They carried blasters, and had malice in their eyes.

“Oh no,” Suni sighed.

The charging cadets aimed their weapons and fired. Alyna made a sweeping gesture and deflected most of the blasts, which hit the walls harmlessly. The cadets continued their advance.

“Run!” Tethys exclaimed.

Xen took to the air, trying to avoid blaster bolts and keep his mind open for the guards ahead. Alyna was holding her cloak like a shield, repelling as many of the blasts as she could. Suni shot a few electrical charges from her fingertips, aiming to short out the weapons.

“Alyna, we need those games to stop,” Atreus cried.

The Guardian nodded once and vanished, leaving her friends to fend for themselves. Xen took the lead, flying down the hall and into a class room. Motioning to his friends, he slammed the door closed once they were all safely inside. They all collapsed to the ground as Atreus braced the door with heavy desks and furniture.

“They’ve all gone ballistic!” Tethys exclaimed.

“It’s the game,” Xen said. “They think we’re the enemy.”

“Now what?” Atreus asked. “We can’t hurt them. We’re trapped!”

Suni shook her head. “It’s up to Alyna. All we can do is wait.”

*****

The Master was fuming. The UPP Admiral had attacked, forcing him to retaliate, spreading his forces too thing. He had no choice but to activate his secret weapon – the cadets he had ensnared by the game. It was unfortunate. He had wanted to meet Suni Ianni again, instead of having her and her friends be torn apart by their comrades. The plan had changed, however, and he had done what was necessary to preserve his ultimate goal.

He rose from Principal Wharncliffe’s desk and paced around the office. The renegade cadets were proving to be an annoyance, but not for much longer. Once they loaded the brainwashed cadets onto the waiting transports and brought them to the mother ship, the UPP would be forced to negotiate their surrender rather than destroy their own people. The Master smiled to himself. They would have an untouchable army with which to destroy the UPP.

“The prisoners have been moved,” a soldier reported from the doorway.

“Excellent. Once the rebel cadets had been destroyed, move the last of them to the shuttles,” the Master ordered. “The time has come to leave this place.”

The solider saluted and left the office. The Master lingered a moment longer before following the guard out. The office was silent and empty for a few more minutes.

Alyna moved her cloak aside, becoming visible again. She had been standing motionless in the corner for quite some time, waiting for the Master to depart. More than once, a plan to kill the Master had leapt into her mind, revenge for her exiled people, but that was now the Guardian way. Instead, she had stood silently, biding her time until she could ruin his latest plan. Quickly, Alyna sat at the desk and began to access the school’s computer system. Entering the intercom system, the Guardian smiled to herself in victory.

*****

Atreus leaned against the nearly destroyed door, desperately trying to keep it closed. The cadets had been firing at it with their blasters and several large holes had been made. The Andromedan kept his head down as random bolts shot into the room. Suni, Tethys, and Xen were crowded on the other side of the room, trying to avoid being shot.

“I can’t hold this forever,” Atreus called. “They’re breaking through!”

As if in reply, a shot came through the door and struck Atreus in the shoulder. He gasped in pain and rolled free of the door as it shattered. The cadets came streaming into the classroom. Suni gathered her friends behind her and began zapping the weapons. The angry mob discarded their useless blaster and continued advancing, preparing to rip the rebel cadets apart with their bare hands.

Suddenly, when the army was close enough for Suni to feel their breath on her skin, the room was filled with a piercing hum. The cadets clamped their hands over their ears, but kept moving. The frequency shifted higher, bringing most of the cadets to their knees, including Suni and the others. A final shift caused the games to overload and the free students threw the sparking devices to the ground. The sound stopped, leaving the classroom full of confused, well armed Starcademy cadets. Suni leapt onto a chair and began to fill them in on their recent imprisonment. Tethys crouched next to Atreus, who was sitting on the ground.

“Are you okay?” she asked, looking at his burnt arm.

“That sound would’ve killed me,” Atreus remarked. “If the game hadn’t damaged my hearing, Alyna’s sharp frequency could’ve popped my eardrum.”

Tethys smiled. “I was talking about your arm.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I just never expected to be relieved that I lost my hearing.”

The last confession caused Atreus’ smile to falter and he looked down at his hands folded loosely in his lap. Tethys put her arm around him in a quick hug.

“We got Suni back her charge,” Tethys said reassuringly, “I know we can get you back your hearing.”

Atreus smiled. “Thanks, Tethys.”

The crowd of cadets gave a mighty roar, brandishing their weapons above their heads. Suni was egging them on, Xen encouraging them to cheer.

“Let’s go!” Suni yelled. “For Starcademy!”

The mob pushed itself back into the hall and began moving towards the docking bay. Suni was in the lead, her eyes bright with excitement. Tethys and Atreus caught up to the Vyrillian and flanked him on either side.

“Where is Suni leading us?” Tethys asked.

“The docking bay,” Xen replied. “We’re going to send the invaders into space!”

Atreus grinned. As the mob rounded the final corner, they met up with the rest of the student body that had been sitting on a transport when they were suddenly freed. Alyna was there, watching a few faculty members force some invaders onto a ship. Suni looked over at the aliens to see who had been causing so much trouble. She gasped as she immediately recognized the species that had been causing so much grief.

“Kaesar!”

*****

The fighting in space broke off abruptly as a fairly large silver shuttle rocketed away from Starcademy. The allied UPP-Spung forces gave a cheer and Radu embraced Harlan in congratulations. As the remaining alien ships fled UPP space, one of Harlan’s officers reported a transmission from Starcademy.

“Show me,” Harlan said with a smile.

The view screen showed Alyna. Behind her were several cadets, some injured and other helping the wounded. They were in the docking bay and there were signs of blaster fire on the walls, and several small fires were burning. The jubilant mood on the Goddard immediately died down as the crew realized the fight had not only occurred in space.

“Admiral Band,” Alyna said. “The invaders have left Starcademy and everyone here is now safe.”

“We’re glad to hear it,” Admiral Band replied.

“We have many injured. We request permission to bring them by transport to your ship for medical assistance. Our medlab has been damaged, and all the power reserves have been drained..”

“Of course.”

Alyna dipped her head and vanished from the screen. Harlan called to the medlab, informing Rosie that wounded were on their way. He could tell by her voice that she wanted news about Suni, but she simply acknowledged the request.

*****

A few hours later, the majority of the injured were taken care of. Alyna had returned to space, after telling the Admiral what had happened in the school and with the mother ship. Suni, Tethys, and Xen were brought to the command post and the whole story was retold. Xen was given a commendation for bravery by the Admiral right there, on the command post of the Goddard.

“The invaders are Kaesar,” Suni reported.

Harlan blinked in surprise. “But they left peacefully. Are you sure?”

Suni nodded. “Without a doubt. They’ve returned, and I don’t think their intentions are peaceful any longer.”

Harlan nodded knowingly. He sat down with a sigh. “I was hoping you wouldn’t be certain. Alyna confirmed as much when she told us the translator had identified the language of transmission as Kaesar.”

Xen frowned. “How did the translator know the language?”

Suni smiled wryly. “A gift from a Kaesar friend of mine, Spek. He helped fill out our database about his species before he left Starcademy.”

“Why did he leave?” Tethys asked.

Suni shrugged. “All he left me was a note saying he wanted to rejoin his people. It was strange how quickly he left after begging to be able to stay after the first Kaesar war.”

Harlan nodded in agreement. He motioned for the cadets to leave, his thoughts elsewhere. He was thinking of the report Atreus had made, when he claimed to have seen the Master’s face. Harlan had known then that the Master was Kaesar, he had known that the UPP would soon be threatened. What he had not counted on was how quickly they would once again descend into war.

*****

Rosie dropped a few medicinal drops into Atreus’ ears. The Andromedan closed his eyes, the painkillers for his arm making him sleepy. Rosie had assured him his full hearing would return in twenty-four hours, and Atreus had mumbled his thanks.

As Rosie left, Suni came to sit next to Atreus’ bed. The Andromedan was already asleep, and the Mercurian-Uranusian watched him for a few minutes.

“Sleep while you can, old friend,” Suni told him with a sigh. “When you wake up, the UPP will be preparing for another war.”