The Glass Weaver | A Novel #Wattys2018 #Wattys2019

Chapter 15

These dreams seemed to be getting out of control. For the past few weeks, between gathering intel from unsecured waves and fabricating what we could from what we had, I have had 5 different dreams. Each one Rever talked to me at the end, almost sympathetically. Dahel always seemed to be the main character in all of them. It didn't seem like dreams that Rever could control, almost as if Cark was following in his father's steps and playing with my mind. Each one plagued my mind.

Why did I think I could save them all? These dreams are pushing me to the edge, so far that I don't know what is real. These dreams, their purpose is to discourage me, right? So why am I so worried about them? Does it just mean that I need to keep pushing further?

"Oh gods, what have I gotten myself into?" I murmured, placing my hand on the steering wheel of the ship. We had taken many parts from her that it could only support keeping us alive and had enough fuel just for getting out into space.

"Hey Nevada, you might want to hear this," Corrig spoke, reaching to touch her on her shoulder.

Putting in one earbud, I listened into the audio file that Corrig had gotten. It took me a second to recognize the language; it was Critian, the main language of the people that follow The Ender. I tried to listen, not just to hear what they were saying, but to translate the language. Despite the few weeks I had remained in Aquarius before we fled, I and my family were forced to learn Critian.

"Corrig, this is really bad. Really, really bad," I spoke, emphasizing each and every word. "They want to send turah weapons into the core of the planet and blow it up."

"Of course they want to use only the most destructive weapon ever created by Aquariusians." Corrig cursed, slamming a fist into the cabinet beside us. I could only sympathize with him, after all, it was his family that created the weapons for Aquarius. This weapon, though, I thought the plans had been destroyed.

"I don't know how they got them, but if they let a single one out, we are all screwed."

"Wait, wasn't there someone who had an imperio of perfect memory?"

"There was," I nodded, "But, I know they had died. Li had that imperio, but we all know what happened to her."

"So there must be someone else that had that power."

Lacey popped her head in, "What are you guys talking about. Parker and I finished the mini-Hydrasso and the grenades."

Corrig shrugged, "I intercepted a transmission that I couldn't translate, so I had Nevada translate it."

"What did it say?"

I sighed, "They plan on using turah weapons to blow up Aquarius."

Lacey eyed Corrig, "And how do they have the information on the most powerful weapon created by your family, Corrig?"

"I don't know. Someone must've remembered how to create it, either because of their imperio or something else, and they threatened them so they would comply." Corrig replied, looking at Lacey solemnly.

"Oh. I remember their torture sessions. Their sessions nearly got me to..."

"Don't say it. I know what you are talking about. Everyone knows the mental destruction of those sessions. We all have been there."

"I know this is sad and all," Lacey spoke, "but we have a planet to save. I have intercepted a message that points to the nearest Ender base. It's not far from here but we should still be careful on the way there."

"Where is it at?" I asked, my attention quickly switching gears.

"Outside of Perlaes."

"That shouldn't be too hard but I would feel better if we could find out the state of the city."

"Well, while you two talk about Perlaes, I am going to check any waves coming in." Corrig spoke.

I turned to him and nodded, then turning back to Lacey. I asked, "Do you think it will be safe. It is an enemy base after all."

"I think so. If they are anything like us, water will be a detriment. Too much in the lungs, too much salt, that will help us. I think we will do fine with the weapons we have."

"If that is the case then I will think about us going there soon and raiding it. No doubt that it will be heavily armored."

"I know. But in the transmission they spoke about a weakness it has; their metal can't take a lot of salt. So there is a thin line of pure water protecting the base."

"I see. Keep looking into this and maybe, with your imperio we might just make it through. Do we have any diving suits? Something tells me we might be swimming sometime soon."

"We have 2. They are damaged from being at sea but we can fix it up for us."

"Okay. Let's keep an eye out for any more. If not then it will certainly be you going along with someone else. I think Corrig with his invisibility imperio will make this work even better."

"But your gravity imperio would work just as well. You could lift it out of the water so it will take more damage and so the others can get on and take out the guards."

"Hm. That might work too. Two good choices yet can have vastly different outcomes. Well, when the time comes for it we will decide then. We are still some ways out before we can think about attacking."

Lacey only smiled before staring, "I'm still going with you on it. If we find a third one then Corrig can come. Parker can be our guy in the chair, keeping an eye on everything for us."

"Sure. Let's keep looking for that diving suit."