Page 33 of Desperate Measures

“I don’t understand—”

The figure appearing before them on the holoscreen was identical to Hope but for the blindingly white armored formsuit replacing her usual yellow-trimmed black fleet uniform. It was her image otherwise, down to the tiny pale scar over her eyebrow where she’d fallen against the corner of a table when she was five.

But it wasn’t her. It couldn’t be.

As she and Kila gaped, the other Hope’s impassive expression was matched by a bland tone as she spoke. “Greetings, Hope Nath of Earth and Kalquor. Please listen to our message and take heed.”

Chapter Nine

Hope could hardly sit through Piras’ report on the orphanage’s preparations for the Galactic Council squadron’s arrival. At last, he finished updating them. She fairly jumped from her seat in front of Kila’s desk to play the footage gathered from the Darks’ dimension.

“All the nanos recorded the exact same thing,” she said as she activated the holoscreen in Kila’s ready room.

Her Dramok’s eyes widened at the view of her in the white uniform that didn’t exist in the fleet. He glanced at her as if to verify she hadn’t somehow changed clothes and moved from his side to the middle of the floor. Lokmi and Kila, who’d seen the vid in its entirety, nonetheless leaned forward to scrutinize the image as it began its speech, delivered with no hint of emotion.

“Greetings, Hope Nath of Earth and Kalquor. Please listen to our message and take heed. You and those of your dimension don’t belong here. There is danger for your kind should you pass through the border between your dimension and this. The border between our universes itself is unsafe as well. Cease phasing and remain where you belong if you wouldn’t invite destruction.”

Hope in white vanished, replaced by a view of limitless space.

“There’s no planet or any celestial body in scanning range of where the drones and nanos went,” the real Hope told Piras. “There was also no evidence of transmission relays to explain how the message reached the devices. As for it looking like me…” She spread her hands in an indication of dumbfounded confusion.

“Nothing like being threatened by yourself,” Kila muttered.

“Or warned,” Lokmi said. “It wasn’t a Dark or the All assuming Hope’s identity. It had none of the malevolence we’ve encountered from the enemy.”

“It had no emotions, from what I saw and heard,” Hope noted.

“It may have been an attempt to alert us to the threat of the All.”

“If that’s the case, the horse has already left the stable. No chance of us corralling it now.” Hope looked at Piras, who continued to stare where her doppelganger’s image had been.

He blinked as if waking. “There’s no reason for there not to be other species residing where the All came from. This being who assumed your appearance must have technology beyond what we can imagine. Perhaps if you record a message for them about our situation and send it through via the nanos, we can learn what they know of the All. But it’ll have to wait.” He reluctantly squashed her rising excitement. “You and I will gather supplies the orphanage needs, including the drones, which we’ll arm for defensive measures.”

“You’re pulling me from this now? When we have an opportunity to ask for help—”

“Immediate defense of the orphanage and its inhabitants is our top priority, Specialist Nath. We have to win this battle before we can win the war.”

He was right, of course. Nonetheless, Hope had to fight to keep a grudging note from entering her response. “Yes, Admiral.”

* * * *

Open Arms Orphanage

Cheryl hurried to the greeting room of her living suite when she heard the door open. Besral strode in, his pace as steady and assured as ever. However, she noticed the deepened lines on his features, indicating his exhaustion. He was filthy, dirt caking him from head to toe.

“Did you take any breaks today?” she asked.

“No time. One of the digging machines broke down, costing us a couple of hours of work. Admiral Piras was able to bring us what we needed to fabricate a new part…and the technician capable of making it quickly.” He chuckled, but it did nothing to ease the wan expression worrying Cheryl.

“What’s so funny?”

“The tech was the tiniest slip of an Earther girl…sorry, woman…I’ve ever seen. It didn’t keep her from making comments to the admiral hedging on disrespect. He finally reminded her to be professional or she’d suffer like a regular member of the crew. I get the idea she’s his Matara, though they made no reference to it.”

“She’s a member of a Kalquorian spyship crew?” Cheryl was surprised. She hadn’t been aware Earthers, particularly women, could serve in the empire’s fleet.

“She wore the uniform, but he called her a specialist. It means she isn’t official fleet personnel, but an expert being utilized by the vessel she’s assigned to. A smart lady, like you.” He winked.

“Flirt,” Cheryl chuckled. “Was she pretty?”

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