The Starseed Experiment

Chapter One, Part Three

Swords clashed together as Uthera and Reymera found themselves in faux battle against one another, honing their skills in case they needed them on Earth.

<<Defend yourself as though your life depends on it,>> Reymera encouraged as she taught various maneuvers.

<<I'm not as good as you,>> Uthera confessed, only having fought a small amount in her younger years.

<<It does not matter,>> the younger princess urged, <<Just follow my lead; like a dance, but you want to knock me off my feet.>> She smiled at the metaphor as she threw Uthera off balance.

Uthera fell back, getting her footing just before she hit the floor. Lunging forward she spoke, <<Do you really believe we'll need this on Earth?>>

Reymera scoffed, <<If Asthirko tries anything, then we'll most certainly need to know how to protect ourselves.>>

The elder hit the younger's arm armor, feeling proud for an instant before responding, <<You're very weary of the Draconian, aren't you?>>

Reymera jabbed the tip of her sword hard into Uthera's breastplate, finding the question laughable, <<Of course I am. His people killed my father.>>

With the wind knocked from her, it took a moment for Uthera to reply, <<But he had no part in it. He's willing to fight with us; willing to be good. Doesn't that count for something?>> They parried for a moment before she added, <<Reymera, my sister... I would not let him harm you. I've got your back and I hope you always know that.>>

Reymera heard the sincerity in her voice and was thankful for it. She'd never had a sister and was looking forward to it. She already enjoyed the other's company and knew they'd fair well on Earth.

<<I trust you,>> she admitted, halting their movements for a short break. Uthera jabbed her one last time, playfully, and they grinned at each other.

<<This'll work, believe me, I can already tell.>>

Just then a loud explosion sounded from the other room, causing them both to start. They whipped their attention toward the commotion, both instantly on guard. Then another one came, a bit closer than the last.

Reymera looked to the other woman, <<An attack.>>

Uthera went pale, staring off with a slack, shocked expression. No... it could be. But why? She thought. She looked to the warrior princess <<Who..?>> Then another one, causing a corner of the room to crumble. They had to balance themselves as the floor quaked.

<<We must go,>> Reymera urged, <<To Earth. Now. The mission must begin before we're killed. Nothing can save us from a surprise attack. Not now, when so much is at stake.>>

<<But the coordinates haven't been set properly,>> Uthera warned, <<There's still work to be done on the machines if we are all to end up together.>>

<<It's a risk we have to take!>> Reymera yelled over yet another explosion.

Uthera's heart pounded out of fear and trepidation as she took a moment to process. And that's when Telba came running into the room.

<<Uthera!>> She ran up to her wife, taking a hand in both of hers, <<We need to do something.>> She was glad that her wife at least already had a weapon on her.

Uthera turned to face Telba, <<We have to do the mission now. But...>> She told Telba the same thing she told Reymera, that the coordinates were sketchy.

Telba's heart sank in mirrored fear, but she was stronger in resolve than her wife, <<If worse comes to worse, we'll find each other. I promise. With our bond...>>

<<The others,>> Uthera pointed out.

<<We'll find a way, my love. But we must go.>>

Uthera sighed with a pained expression, her chest clenching in hard, but she finally nodded, <<Okay.>> She turned now to Reymera, <<Go find the others and take them to the mind tunnel. I'll meet you there. I have to find my parents...>>

<<Then I'm coming with you,>> Telba interjected, not wanting to leave her wife's side.

Reymera nodded sternly before running off to gather the family. Telba grabbed a weapon and Uthera pulled her along out of the room, going in the opposite direction toward the throne room.

Arriving, she immediately saw her parents kneeling before a group of Draconians. Of course. They must have found out about Asthirko's presence on Arcturus. They seemed to be demanding information from the King and Queen. And that's when they were shot, both of them collapsing backward. Dead.

Uthera felt like screaming her lungs out, but she couldn't draw attention, so she clasped her free hand to her mouth as her eyes welled with instant tears. It was a sight she wasn't prepared for.

Telba knew the torment she was going through, feeling the same dread welling up within her, but she knew they had to get out of there. She pulled her wife toward her, urging her to move, <<We have to leave, my love; swords are no match for their guns. The others are waiting for us.>>

Uthera could hear the urgency in Telba's voice, but it took her a short while for her to register what they had to do, too caught up in grief. When she finally pulled out of it, she knew Telba was right, they couldn't stay there, and they stood no chance with swords as their only weapons. She turned with tears streaming down her face and nodded, going with Telba when she turned toward the door and pulled her along.

**I am so sorry, my dearest,** Telba strained to show her own emotional turmoil through the bond as they moved, **I am so sorry.**

They moved down the corridor with explosions rattling in every direction, trying not to lose their footing as the ground rumbled. Finally they reached the room that held the mind tunnel, finding the whole family already there waiting for them. Asthirko seemed shaken, an obviously nervous demeanor wracking him, knowing fully well that his race was to blame for their premature exit and the destruction of the planet; he knew he was doing this with a bad name out upon him, as if it wasn't already. Uthera gave him a cold glance and he recoiled, looking to the floor with his nostrils flaring in anger; not towards her, but the uncomfortable situation. He had no idea what his people had just done to her parents.

Being the only one who could operate the mind tunnel, Uthera turned it on. The thing about using the mind tunnel was that their bodies would disintegrate, sending just their consciousness to reincarnate on Earth. Since Arcturus would most likely be destroyed, she quickly put in some last minute commands to send Telba and herself to Pleiades upon their human death, as well as Asthirko, considering he was a fugitive. Knowing Asthirko was in the most danger of being taken, which would foil the experiment, she allowed him to go first. She prompted him to lay down in the reclined chair, hooking up nodes to his temples and pushing a button. There were no words spoken between them before his body disintegrated. Next was Querra, followed by Jutan. When it was Reymera's turn Uthera stroked her cheek and smiled, <<I'll see you down there.>>

Reymera smiled back and nodded, <<I'll stand by you, I promise.>>

The button was pressed and she was gone a second later. Now it was Telba's turn and Uthera took her hand, squeezing it, <<I love you.>> She bent over to place a kiss to her lips, lingering as they shared a moment of mixed feelings.

**And I love you. Always.**

Then the button was pressed and she was gone.

Uthera was the last one, now laying in the chair and connecting the nodes herself before reaching out and pressing the button, disintegrating a moment later.

And that was the beginning of their journey.