Waymakers (Champions of the Crystal Book 9)

Chapter 16.1

After the rest of her schedule was complete, Sabrina managed nearly an hour with Seuréa moving various household objects out of phase, then following them so she could move them back into phase. She wasn't yet able to see clearly between phases to transport something she wasn't in phase with. It came naturally to Seuréa though.

"Maybe my human brain just isn't designed to handle all this," Sabrina sighed.

Seuréa looked around Sabrina's office, which they'd chosen for privacy. "You could just let me go instead, and you stay here to defend Praxatillus."

"No, I couldn't," Sabrina replied.

"But it makes more sense. You have experience defending the planet, and I'm good at moving things."

"You're still a minor, Seuréa. We can't send you into a war zone. Besides, I'm the one who's been seeing all the visions of Miah. I'm the one meant to impersonate her."

Seuréa grumbled, "Mother was a minor, wasn't she?"

"Not really. And we kept out of active war zones." She sighed. "I'll try again when Ford has time to help. His brain can do the math."

"You need to practice on something big," Seuréa pointed out. "Any deserted space stations lying around?"

"None nearby. But that's not a bad idea. We need a dress rehearsal." Sabrina shivered a little at the memory of the abandoned space station where Malvarak had taken her after kidnapping her. She was sure Khediva remembered where it was.

"Well, all you have to do is get the Wayshipyard here. Then I can take it from there," Seuréa said. "I don't understand why Mother is leading the Reissian attack and you're doing this. Why not switch?"

"Because I'm meant to impersonate Miah, and we need Miah where the Kyan are. We aren't sure there are many of them left in Reissian space. But we know there are a bunch in Homeworld space."

"And we're not doing the third thing at the same time?"

"No, we don't have enough resources for that," Sabrina sighed. "We'll see how this goes. If we're lucky, we can wipe out their resource base in the Reissian home system and also disable a lot of them in the Homeworld system. That would make our galaxy safer while the expeditionary force travels to their home system."

"But you won't go on that one."

"No, probably not. Rose will likely be born by then, or getting close."

Seuréa was quiet for a moment. "Mother says there's a chance that her being so far away will cause Transference."

"It's not likely, is it? She was far away for the past five years."

"Outside our galaxy, yes, but nowhere near another one," Seuréa said. "That kind of distance might affect even the strongest link. Even Mother's with the Crystal."

Even mine and Ford's, Sabrina thought. "We'll just have to hope not. Or else when Mara gets back, we'd have two Guardians!"

Seuréa grinned. "I don't think she'd like that."

"I'm sure she wouldn't!" Sabrina smiled. "Nor would you, I suspect."

"You're probably right," Seuréa chuckled. "What shall we do now?"

Sabrina yawned. "I could use a nap. Where's Ara?"

"She went to see Reya's lab." Seuréa frowned. "She seems to really like her."

"Maybe she can do what I couldn't."

"What's that?"

"Convince Reya she could be a good wife and mother, if not Consort."

Seuréa laughed. "She'd be Baldaran's favorite sister if she did that! Come on, let's have a snack. Then you can nap."

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Ford was sitting near the bed reading when Sabrina woke from her nap. "Nice job," he said as she reached for the glass of milk waiting for her on her bedside table.

"With what?"

"Malvarak. They've scheduled the bonding ceremony for tonight. We are not invited, sadly, but Khediva sends her thanks and love."

"Oh, good." She sipped at the milk. "Seuréa suggested practicing with something big. I remembered the abandoned space station Malvarak took me to when he kidnapped me. I need to ask Khediva where it was and if it's still there. Then I think we should go and try shifting it."

"I suppose we'd be safe enough if we traveled out of phase," Ford mused. She knew he was wishing he still had his ship, The Adventure. "I can ask Baldaran to loan us something, a courier maybe."

"We can take Scotty," Sabrina said.

"Why? I can pilot."

"For extra protection. We'll need to take Terel and Marvan too."

"Why?" Ford repeated, perplexed. "If it's just a quick practice session, we should be safe enough."

She shook her head. "I'm not taking chances. Not with both of us." Never with you, she added to herself. Her dream of a destroyed Bathir and horribly scarred Ford sprang into her mind, and she grimaced.

"Point taken," Ford said. He got to his feet, put his pad down, and came over to kiss her. "I'll talk to Scotty while you freshen up. Ara invited Reya for dinner, and I invited Stecklan. He's back on the planet for a while."

"I look forward to hearing how things are on Avestar," Sabrina said. "Oh, that reminds me. What happened to Steyrian?"

"No idea. You'd need to ask Commander Rigeon."

Sabrina did not respond, but she was a little surprised Ford didn't keep tabs on his ex-friend. Instead, she pushed herself off the bed and headed for the bathroom.