How Much I Know - a Renegades | Marissa Meyer fan fiction

Chapter 18

Kahless got a comm from the Council the next morning.

Trials today. You are expected to attend.

Kahless nodded to herself. This was the fourth time she was supposed to go. It wasn't like she'd forget or anything.

I'll be there.

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"The Trials? Really? I've never been able to go before!" Mara squealed when Kahless told her.

"If you want to. I mean, it's not like we're doing much today," Kahless replied. She had never thought highly of the trials herself.

"Are you kidding? I'm going to the trials. I want to see them." She sounded so energetic Kahless was about to tell her to save herself and forget about the whole thing. But she had a feeling that Mara would not be swayed.

"I would make a different choice myself, but if you really want to, go ahead. I have to be there so they can have a record of everything, but you don't have to. You could stay here and hang out with Max," she suggested. Kahless really didn't want Mara to waste this great opportunity to hang out with her friend.

"Seriously, Kahless. Is it that bad?"

"Yes," she said exasperatedly.

"Then I'll go with you!" Mara said excitedly.

Kahless shook her head, annoyed. "This is hopeless."

"Yep!" Mara grinned.

"Fine." She sighed, but she was really glad that Mara would keep her company. But other noises made for a less appealing recording.

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"This is so cool!" Mara exclaimed while they were waiting in their seats. They had front row seats, courtesy of the Council so that Kahless could get a good view of the candidates.

"Another few hours and you'll be thinking otherwise," Kahless droned.

"Why do you have to be so boring?" Mara groaned and leaned back in her seat. "I'm actually excited and you have to ruin it."

"I'm not doing a very good job, am I? But look; it's starting."

"Finally."

Kahless smiled at Mara before focusing on the Trials.

"Ana Hynman, alias: Tunneler!" The teenager could dig tunnels into the ground at her touch. That seemed very useful. She was chosen by another of the patrol teams.

"Corin Grim, alias: The... Awesome?" Blacklight stumbled over the self-centered name. It turns out the boy could touch something - or someone - and make it - or them - vibrate quickly. It was interesting, but it certainly did not deserve its alias. Or its owner.

"The Arrogant, I'd say," Mara whispered. Kahless smirked.

"Yeah, I agree with you. Who would want to call someone that?" Kahless giggled. Not surprisingly, Arrogant was rejected from the Renegades.

"Laura Haden, alias: The Boxer!" The girl could erect walls around an opponent, boxing them in. It was quite a useful power, and Laura was accepted without challenge.

"Nova McLain, alias: Insomnia!" Blacklight roared. Maybe it was a coincidence that the Nova Kahless remembered and the prodigy about to enter the field had the same name.

Kahless was thrown into her mother's death memory for the second time in two days. This was a bad time for it.

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"Pull the trigger, Nova."

"Pull the trigger."

"Nova, pull the trigger."

"Pull the trigger, Nova."

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Nova McLain marched onto the presentation field. Her shoulders were set in defiance, and her aura crackled with determination.

Kahless gasped. It was a much older version of the girl Kahless had seen that night ten years ago. The very same night her mother had been murdered. But also the very same girl she'd seen to be Nightmare the other day. "Nova, it is you..." She whispered in awe.

Mara opened her mouth to say something - probably to ask about Kahless's reaction or to respond with one of her own - but Kahless shook her head slowly. She wanted to get as much record of this girl as possible.

"Nova McLain, please demonstrate your power," Blacklight commanded through the microphone.

"I'm afraid my power cannot be easily demonstrated." The time of her voice was so different than the one Kahless knew from age three.

"Could you give us a description, then?" Blacklight asked.

"I never sleep."

"Well, then-" Blacklight started, but was cut off.

"As for my non-super abilities, I'm skilled in chemistry, physics, mechanics, inventions -" at the moment, Kahless let her thoughts drift. The specifics of the girl's speech she could call up later.

This was the Nova Kahless had wondered about for the past ten years. And she was... the most wanted villain in Gatlon City?

Why?

The helmet. The man's helmet was the same one as was on display in the Renegade archives. The man was Ace Anarchy. He was Nova's close family relation, and most likely took Nova in and gained her trust. When he died a few years ago, Nova must have been devastated and wanting revenge.

Nova - Nightmare - was here to gain information about the Renegades so she could destroy them.

Of course.

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Nova's trial was almost over. She was accepted by Adrian's team. She thought that was almost an insult to Captain Chromium, seeing as his son accepted Nightmare.

When Ruby - Red Assassin - and Oscar - Smokescreen - went to welcome Nova, she knocked them to the ground without hesitation.

Why?

What childhood could she have had that made her think of every touch as an attack?

Well, she thought, no one would touch her anyway, seeing as, you know, sleep vulnerability?

That made sense.

Kahless made a mental note to speak to Nova later.

When Nova left the field, Mara leaned over to whisper-scream in Kahless's ear, "That was Nightmare! What do we do?"

Kahless nodded. "I know who that was. Don't tell anyone."

"Why?" Mara asked.

"Because we might change her Anarchist mindset on our own."