Aster and Luther were landed, flanking Pilgrim, and the woman from the Wastes had her Widowmaker out. She used the scope to scour the terrain and smiled back at us. “I think I see his camp.” She started down the stone path, and we followed.
“Holland’s a smart kid. He’ll be okay.” I didn’t know if Luther said this for my benefit or his own, but I nodded in agreement.
A screech carried through the sky, and another flock of alien birds flew toward us as a pair of spacecraft raced overhead. They appeared to be smaller versions of the Squids, with more tentacles. They didn’t stop on their path to the city.
“Here come the reinforcements,” Luther commented.
We were out in the open, and I felt exposed, but the two Velibar ships paid us no attention. Aster kept moving, gaining a lead.
She was the first to Holland’s camp. It was far more advanced than I’d have expected. A lean-to shelter propped against two thick tree trunks, the position elevated enough to avoid getting wet from the brook’s spillage. The river water rushed by angrily, creating whitecaps as it battered a few large rocks near a curve in the tributary.
Holland had created a fire pit with various stones, and I poked at the coals. “They’re still hot.”
Jade and R11 had continued on, and I spotted her running closer to the river’s edge.
“Come on, I think she found something,” I said.
I jogged up a slight incline and saw Holland lying on his back near the water.
“Holland!” Jade shouted, and for a second, I was confident he was dead.
“Holland!” Luther bellowed.
Our crewmate’s head jerked up, and he scrambled to his feet when he saw us running for him. His blue SeaTech uniform was a mess, one of the sleeves torn off.
We watched him silently, and Holland took a slow step toward Jade. He reached out a hand and poked her in the arm. “Are you real?”
She grabbed him, hugging him tightly. “You’re okay.”
His resolve crumbled away, and he broke down, melting into Jade’s embrace. “You did it. You actually came for me.”
“We wouldn’t leave you to the wolves, kid,” Luther assured him, clapping the young SeaTech heir on the back.
Holland glanced at me and let out a groan. “Arlo, I’m sorry, but I broke the Pod.”
I laughed and couldn’t stop. The others joined in, and even Holland had to smirk. “I don’t care about the Pod, Holland!” I managed to say. “What happened?”
“Let’s get him into Pilgrim before we interrogate him,” Jade said, wrapping a protective arm around his shoulders.
“Hey, I’m Aster.” Our new ally stuck her hand out, and Holland shook it.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” Even in the midst of a crisis, the young man had his manners about him.
We ushered Holland to Pilgrim, and he wandered to the Pod. “Should we bring her?”
“I’d say we leave her behind. We can always paint another Pod Sprinter,” I assured him.
Holland set a palm on it and nodded. “Okay.”
“Luther, drop your Pod into the hold,” I told him. “You’re coming too. Aster, tag along beside us. Change paths if it comes to it, and return to Varn’s Racer. If something goes wrong, we meet at Earth. Find out what we’re dealing with.”
“Understood,” Aster said, jogging to her Pod.
We climbed on board Pilgrim, and Jade was already working on Holland.
“We want to hear your story, but we’d better get to the city before the war starts,” I said.
“The city? You’re going to the Velibar?” Holland’s eyes were wide with fear.
“It’s a long tale. Maybe Jade can fill you in.” Luther, R11, and I left them in the cargo hold. It was time to make contact with my grandfather.
I flew us back, slowing as I descended to the city limits.
The Velibar finally noticed us, and I checked the location of Zonrial’s Pursuer. They were twenty kilometers away. The fighting would commence within a half hour, by my estimation.
I transmitted an open frequency as I flew high over the city, aiming for the lakeside. “We are from Earth. I demand to see Preston Lewis.”
The response came quickly. The message was in English. “Proceed.”
My heart jumped while guiding the red and black Racer toward the lake’s edge. Velibar stopped in the streets now, despite the downpour. I landed in the center of the road directly in front of the skyscraper and powered her off.
I hoped my gut was right about this, because I was putting my friends’ lives in danger.
“Do we go armed?” Jade left Holland’s side as we went into the Racer’s cargo hold. I peered at the lockbox that held the weapons and the vials of mossy creatures.
“No. This is not a fight we can win.” I glanced at Jade. She looked determined. “If you don’t want to be here, take the Racer and leave with Holland. I’d understand.”
She stared at me. “No, Arlo. I want to stay.”
“Can I leave?” R11 asked from behind us.
“Very funny. You’d abandon us like that?” I still wore SeaTech blue, and peered at the trident logo on my uniform. “We have Holland, and if we can sort this out with Preston Lewis, maybe we can return home in one piece.” That sounded too simple, but I clung to hope there was a reasonable resolution to be had.
“If there is a home to return to,” Jade sighed.
I stuck a hand on her cheek. “This may be it. I have to tell you something…”
“Save it for later, Hawk.” She whispered this into my ear.
Holland smirked. He was in a fresh uniform and had a bandage on his forehead, covering an angry scrape. “I think I’ve missed something.”
“You and me both.”
R11 walked by me, trailing after Jade Serrano, and I pushed to catch up. A hundred or so Velibar were gathered, but these weren’t soldiers. They were in mundane clothing, and their tentacles wiggled nervously as we stepped off the Racer.
“We don’t mean you any harm. We’re here to see Preston Lewis!” I
