The Joining: The Cycle of the Shards Book One

26: Internal Conflict

     The door closed behind Critock quietly as he pushed it, and he slumped against it, placing his head back against the wood and closed his eyes. Of all the complications he had thought he would encounter on this quest, almost nothing he had experienced today was on his list. Family complications, issues with children barely out of puberty with no idea to handle themselves, and even girl troubles. It was enough to almost make him wish for another pirate attack, at least that was something he was used to handling! There was silence around him in the room, and only the soft sound of the television news program, now onto some kind of sporting event, invaded his privacy. At least for a moment, before he opened his eyes, and saw a familiar wisp shape slide in front of him.

"And just where the hell have you been?" Critock closed his eyes, not really wanting an answer.

"You wanted me out of there so you could tend to your girlfriend, remember? I assumed you would've been back a lot sooner, unless you were checking to see if all your parts matched up."

Critock only slightly opened his eyes, giving Tomkari a look that made very clear what he thought of any inference of romanticism or worse between himself and Shanna. "Don't. The important thing is, she's on board."

"On board with what?" The wisp followed as Critock crossed the room, collapsing face first onto Kyle's bed, which was a lot more comfortable than he thought it would be. At least something was advanced on this rock, he thought, as Tomkari continued. "We don't even know what we're doing! We've been here an entire day, and all we've done is get rid of one space pirate!"

"Probably the only pirate that's ever been on this world, don't forget. That's got to count for something." Critock's voice was muffled from the comforter on the bed, but he wasn't willing to move, amazed at how tired he felt. Marconians get fatigued just like any species, but this was something more. He tried to shake it off, and focused on Tom. "Besides, we do have a plan. We get into the school tomorrow morning."

Tomkari tried to cut him off. "TOMORROW?"

Critock pushed himself up, and spun around on the bed, sitting on the edge and facing the wisp. "Yes, tomorrow. We can't just break into the school without arousing too much suspicion, or worse. There's too much going on as it is, if Pt'ron thinks something's up, we won't find him until we're all ash."

Tomkari started flying back and forth in a pacing formation. "For the love of Kun, Critock, we're cutting this awfully close. Those missiles..."

"Those missiles will leave at around the time I'll be leaving the house tomorrow. If nothing stops them, they'll hit a little over an hour after lunch. We'll find out who he is, and where the Shards are, right before then. No other way to do it that doesn't involve scaring him off."

A sighing noise came from the wisp, who stopped moving. "An hour, huh? You're catching onto the lingo pretty well for one day on the ground."

"Something to be said for language and thought immersion." A wave of tiredness crossed across Critock, and he laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling and the odd designs from the patterns the lights and drywall made.

Tom floated above him. "Uh, everything okay?"

"Yeah, just...tired. It's been a long day, and I don't think human bodies are cut out for this kind of constant motion. And...Had a conversation with the kid's father."

"Oh boy, was hoping that wouldn't happen." Tom floated down and rested on the bedspread next to Critock. "How'd that go?"

"Well, he's still in the dark of what's going on, but he knows something is."