Oriehn

Chapter 19- Alice

Chapter 19- Alice

I slid into the capsule, right next to Ian as Drai and Sin clambered into the back.

"Go, go, go!" Sin urged as Ian pushed the controls. Soon we were moving away from the dock. I relaxed into my seat as Ian raced beside the ships from Earth, looking out at the machines dominating the sky.

Each one was perfect, each one was the same. Made of shiny aluminum and glass, it was sleek and modern. Each held missiles under each wing, and there was a radar on the top of each. Ian drove us below them for a closer look, and we could all see the smooth bottom.

"What are those? Names? There on the wings?" Drai asked, "They aren't written in Oriehn..."

"The scientists invested in these pods. It must be their names," I spoke, gazing at the shining pods and the black, inky space surrounding each row.

Ian's eyes lit up. "If you know this scientist, do you think we can get easier access to the pod?"

My eyes raced back to his. Did he suspect I knew more than I did?

"How about Doctor Prose?" Sin piped in, and I stiffened further.

"What about him?" I shook my head in bewilderment, not understanding.

Taliesin leaned back in his seat, "You said that most scientists donated money to have a ship represent them from Earth. Maybe Doctor Prose has one, too."

"Doctor Prose?" Padraigin asked, "Who's he?"

Sin fell silent, and I stepped up to answer. "The head scientist. He performed most of the experiments and lead the facility."

"He tortured you," Drai reached over to put her hand on Taliesin's arm, and looked over to me. "And he kept you from your real family. He's the cause of all of this?"

Sin cleared his throat, nodding. "Which is why we need to find his pod. Ian,  drive around the tails of the pods so we can get a better look."

"Of course.," Ian's grip on the wheel tightened but any tension between the two was otherwise unnoticeable.   I recognized many of the names, but I wasn't close to any of them. Doctor Bradner, Watson, Donnell.

"I think they're alphabetically ordered," Sin announced. " They're ordered in rows, while we are flying in columns. I think I just saw one that started with a 'n'.' Maybe if you can go on that row and wind down, we could find it faster."

"Sounds good.," Ian glanced over at Sin, who smirked back, though it seemed more reluctant, forced even. I ignored them both and looked outside. The rows of sculpted metal were eerily silent, the night sky making their bodies stand out even further, blurring together as we quickly passed each row.

Pearson, Pollard, and then, Dr. Prose. I didn't doubt that he would have one, fully supporting the process to undermining Oriehns.

"There it is!" Drai called out, and I nodded.

"Can you go right next to them, so we would be parallel?" I pursed my lips and stared at the machines. Each inched forward as another joined behind.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Would they stop once they get to the station, or will they barrel it down?" I asked, directing my question behind me. Drai's eyes widened as Sin gripped his chair.

"That is a possibility," Ian acknowledged. "But I doubt it. If they want to take the lunar station down, then they could have easily done it a month ago. Unless they wanted to bide their time just for this...then I do not know," He breathed shakily.

"They have to have a disadvantage, right? An Achilles' heel...they can't be perfect," I said. They nodded in unison. "We just have to find it. Maybe if I go in one?" I suggested.