Out of the Blue

Chapter 1

Tessa's stomach was in knots and her head was spinning. She knew that she would have to get used to the after effects of travel. After taking a deep breath, she scanned her surroundings. The alley around her was a dark and twisted mess of dirt and piles of shit. Any century could have alleys though, that was nothing new. Now she had to remember which button was the scanner. She bit her lips as she fiddled with one of the many buttons on her temptor. Then a wave of blue light flashed around her, and a she heard a beeping noise.

"Yes!" Tessa exclaimed, and then she checked the scanner.

A small screen flashed and 1781 appeared, then it told her she was in New York. She reached for her ear and checked to see if her earpiece was working. At first she heard a bunch of static, and Tessa winced but then a stream of voices echoed in her ear. All at once her four partners started talking. Then she heard Ramos clear his throat and start speaking.

"Alright guys, be quiet! Tess where are you for some reason I can't read you on my scanner."

"How...how can you not read me? I'm in alley it's 1781... Ramos?"

"Don't worry Tessa, we'll come and find you" Nasira echoed.

Okay don't panic, if you need to press the emergency button. You won't though, because the others will find you. She tried to reassure herself, but her heart was crawling in her throat. Of course her first mission and she screws everything up. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't surprised. Words echoed in her mind then, ex caedis robur, in blood there is strength. Once they were words that brought her a sense of honor. Now she felt the bitter taste of ash in her mouth, even though there was none.

Footsteps echoed in the alley then and it matched the beat of her heart. There was a panicky shriek as she unsheathed her saber from the scabbard at her side. She could see shadows flickering against the light of a September New York sky. She hacked blindly though at the air around her. A high stroke of another blade matched hers, surprising her. As her saber clattered to the ground, she could see a thin smile on Ramos' face. He was wearing a blue and grey uniform like her. You had to be as inconspicuous as possible on a mission, but Ramos was lenient when it came to hair. Hers was a monochromatic blue, whereas his had purple streaks.

"Well I thought I taught you better than that, Cielo" he called.

"I'm sorry..."

"Its fine Tess, everyone messes up on something on their first trip. You've heard my story about 1054 right? Now come on, we have to meet the others at a tavern then I can brief you guys on our mission." Ramos encouraged.

Tessa trusted Ramos with her life; he had been one of her first instructors at the Academy. He was her leader, if there was no trust in the group it would shatter into pieces. Ramos knew when to make the right call, no matter what it asked him to do. He had been the one to put a saber in her hands. The one who changed her from a girl who was neck deep in the failure; to the person she was today

On the street, men armed with muskets were walking down the same path children played on. The sight seemed eerie to her, it was so different than what she had been so used to seeing. Back home, children never went outside like this. When they weren't at the Academy they were far too busy playing with their own devices. People on Alyehoss, never touched the ground. Why would you when you could be riding a Greyback racer? She would never get over that sort of thrill she felt when she traveled. The way that history spread its wings to her, it was strange but wonderful as well.

She and Ramos arrived at a squat two story brick building was as an inn besides a busy tavern. From the windows she could see it was already crowded with patrons. She could hear it too, thanks to the sound of music and drunken uproar. Tessa found a small table in the corner of the tavern, away from the sounds of the men. She could see Kaneo, Nasira and Iahn were already sitting at the table. Kaneo was tinkering around with some bits of metal. Her brother was sitting in the corner, as Nasira was trying to regain order. Ramos pulled a chair over so he was sitting at the head of the table,