Reborn: Book 1 The McKensie Chronicles

Chapter 8

 Four weeks after they arrived it was time to decide. "McKinsey," Devon began, "We are heading back to the other side tomorrow. You've collected a lot to sell, so you have a stake in our cargo. My question to you; now that you've had a sliver of taste of what this universe has to offer do you really want to come back with us? Or would you prefer to stay in your isolated paradise?"

"I am fairly sure I need to go to the other side and learn about modern civilization, even if I am not sure it is what I want." I began, "That's why I collected the things I did to sell, so I have something I can call my own when I'm on the other side. I love life here, but it is VERY lonely at times. I crave human interaction more than you can imagine."

Devon answered, "Oh, I can imagine more than you think."

"Nonetheless" I continued, "I need to know how to come home. While I am sure you mean well and you might be willing to make the trip back again occasionally, I don't want to have to rely on you, or anyone to be able to come back home to my wolves, and my home."

I paused for emphasis. Devon took this as her turn to talk "McKinsey, I know you can navigate basic astronavigation. But this route is extremely complex. It's dangerous for me, and I've done it before. I am not sure I can teach you to safely cross the Quin nebula, which is necessary to come here."

"You can teach me everything else for sure?" I asked.

"Yes, the rest is simple navigation."

"Then I will take the chance that I can't learn the Quin Nebula correctly. I won't bring anyone with me because I don't want to risk my world. However, I have to have a way home. Do you understand?"

Devon thought for a moment before responding. "OK, Fable wants me to trust you, and you most definitely have a stake in the game, so I am going to give you a chance. We need to head home, so you have to trust me. In return for that trust, I'm going to give you a grueling advanced course in astrogation in the hopes you can learn what it takes to cross the nebula. If you can learn that to my satisfaction, I'll give you the rest of the navigational data to get from here to there and back."

I thought about this. On the one hand, it was exactly what I wanted. On the other, she could simply say I didn't learn the nebula algorithms well enough and tell me no. However, Fable was onboard. She was once a dear friend of mine in another life. I trusted Fable because she was once Rick, a friend as dear to me as Carlos had been. "I hope you can forgive me, but I need Fable to confirm you will actually carry this out."

Devon gave an irritated look but then her eyes changed as before. "Tanner, you have my word we will give you the information you need once we are sure you can make the crossing safely."

"Thank you," was all I said, then Devon's eyes rolled back, and she was once again in control.

"You need to learn to trust me, McKinsey." She said with an annoyed tone.

"I know, but trust takes time. We've only known each other a few weeks." I didn't understand why I was having such a hard time trusting Devon. I am normally too trusting, but for some reason with her, it was different. It made no sense to me even.

We spent the next day loading the final things I would bring with me, and those things they wanted from my world. The final day was spent with me closing up my little cabin and getting it ready to be left empty. I took the wings off the scout and pushed it into the shop, then disconnected its power cell for storage. With that finished Jackal and I flew the raptor up to Devon's ship for the final time. As we approached to dock, I couldn't help but give a wistful look back at the planet that had been my home for this entire life. "Cheer up kid; you're going to love it back in civilization," Jackal said softly.