Page 9 of Nyanine's Divide

“Hey, Captain. You remember Ethan and Layanna, right? This here is Zaynt, he’s another computer whiz. He and Layanna are going to check on the shield for you.” He pauses and pats his bag. “I have the comms for your friends, I’d just like to meet with them first before we finalize everything.”

“Oh, wonderful. Of course, I planned on taking you to them when we’re done here.” I smile, and Vahru gestures for me to continue eating. Stars forbid I forget to eat breakfast on his watch. Chuckling, I lift the fruit to my lips and take a bite as I stare at him with a dirty look, making him smile. So protective.

Charlie and his friends are all dressed similarly in some sort of jumpsuit. If I had to guess, they were a stealth suit of sorts, based on the shiny material and moisture-wicking look. With the gadgets and buttons on them, they definitely come across as stealth. I reach out without thinking, pinching the material on Charlie’s arm and pulling before letting it snap. He turns to me, looking at his arm before grinning. “Oh, this? It’s a stealth suit of Zaynt’s design. With our helmets, we can be invisible to the naked eye, they’re safe in space, and have all sorts of other features.”

“They’re brilliant, and they look so comfortable. Are these the same ones you gave me?” I eye the suit, it looking very familiar, but they look very different when they’re empty and limp in a bag.

“Yes, actually. I’m guessing you haven’t given them a shot yet, huh?” He grins a knowing grin, and I chuckle, shaking my head.

“Hadn’t felt a need. Maybe I should.”

Willa steps forward to shake Layanna’s hand, smiling brightly in her pretty yellow sundress. “Hey, guys. Welcome back. The shield is over here where you put it. I’ve kept a close eye on it, so I’m not sure how anything could be wrong. Then again, I’m not a tech person, I wouldn’t really notice if something was wrong inside, would I?” She chuckles, Jeff pulling her into his side as we all watch Layanna and Zaynt huddle around the device.

“So this other world and person, tell me about them.” Charlie turns to me, Ethan scooting closer, and I sip my tea before going into explanation about Tavi and her world. I tell them all about her being the High Priestess, her people living in caves and secluded until now, her powers to terraform the planet so they can expand and grow. There will be plenty of room for them, and with her being our sister, we’ll be in close contact to make sure the kids stay safe. It’ll be a really beautiful place for them to grow, and with Tavi’s warriors, they’ll definitely be protected from harm.

“Sounds like you guys have had some crazy revelations and missions lately, too, but it sounds like a great place to check out. When we’re done here, can we go meet with her to discuss it all before making arrangements for drop off?” Ethan smiles at me, his curly hair longer than I remember it being last time.

“Of course–”

“Guys!?” Layanna calls from the shield, cutting me off. She turns, looking upset, her brows creased together in a worried look. “Someone’s tampered with the shield’s code. They allowed the drones entry.”

“What!?” I shake my head, knowing I didn’t just hear her right. Who could do that, hack into such a thing? Who has that sort of technology and capability?

I turn to Vahru, his blue eyes dark and determined, his jaw set. When his gaze meets mine, his lips press into a tight line. “I toldyou the tech here is a problem. It’s not us, it’s someone outside who desperately wants in to monitor things.”

“But who?” I ask, my left eyebrow rising slightly.

He shakes his head, no answer to give, as his gaze begins to scan around us. It isn’t long before Kosiiba is pressed to my other side, his hands on his knives. “I have a foreboding feeling, Captain. This isn’t good.”

“Can you fix it?” I call out, looking at Layanna and Zaynt, their black eyes rising to meet mine. That’s a scary sight, black eyes and gray skin, but the gentle looks on their faces ease my nerves.

“We’ll do what we can and reset the code.” Layanna gives me a polite smile.

“I’ll see if I can’t bulk its protection a bit as well, prevent this from happening again.” Zaynt explains quickly before he gets back to work with Layanna.

We wait patiently, Willa telling Ethan all about how the kids are doing, how they’re thriving and coming out of their shells. They’re thrilled to hear it’s been a good transition for them, and I keep my eyes on the skies above. No drones fly within hearing or seeing distance, which helps me relax, but I feel what Kosiiba does, our soul-deep bond thrumming with unease and apprehension. Something isn’t right here.

That feeling of being watched, some all-seeing eye hidden in the trees, never seems to go away. It’s not the safe feeling of the Guardians watching either, it’s dark, itchy, and unsettling in every way. Despite all our efforts to protect ourselves—the shield, the extra hunters and guards, staying inside more than not—we never seem to feel truly safe anymore. Whatever is going on here, it’s coming to a head, and I need to solve it fast.

When they’re done, I portal us to Gemyasiri, stepping through to find Tavi waiting in the main cave with her men. I rush in and hug her for real this time, it feeling even more genuine than inour shared dream. I’m still not used to the four arms around me from one person, but her hugs are comforting nonetheless.

“Tavi, Seuke, Xenshay, I’d like you to meet Charlie and Ethan, the boys who have saved these kids from trafficking and need your help to house them.”

Tavionna extends one of her hands with a smile. “Charlie, Ethan, it’s such a pleasure to meet such young heroes. I’m honored to be a part of your mission and to be of help. As someone who was abused by her own mother, I can understand some of the pain these children must feel, and I hope to be able to help them heal as I am. They deserve to be happy and safe.”

They exchange greetings politely, Charlie and Ethan asking a few questions before Tavionna takes us on a tour of the caves, showing them topside as well in the early morning sunshine. It’s like a completely different world seeing grass, rivers, mountains, and even trees growing on the surface. The air is cooler, still a summer heat, but not unbearable to thrive on. Her people wander around us, waving and smiling, as they build houses, garden, while children run and play in the sun.

“This is amazing, Tavi! I can’t believe you’ve done all this yourself.” I gape, my smile hurting my cheeks.

“It wasn’t all me. My power came about because of my mates. It was a group effort, in reality.”

“She’s merely our channel for the energy.” Seuke winks at her, making her chuckle, and I grin.

“Well, I’m satisfied that you’ll have a good home for these kids and be able to provide them with the support they need to thrive. These kids have been through hell, so they need a loving place to go.” Charlie sighs, his gaze continuing to circle around the world in front of us.

I can understand his apprehension, the pain he carries for them, and the desire to see them have a happy and thriving life. What these kids have endured is worse than anything therest of us have been through, and we can only imagine what sort of thoughts, memories, and emotions they harbor over it. We all want to help in whatever way we can to see them grow and thrive as they should because nobody should have to feel that way. No one should go through the things they have. But I know Tavionna will do everything in her power, physically and spiritually, to help these kids heal and thrive.

With that, he hands Tavi and her men the comms and a portal device to keep in touch before he instructs them on how to use them. He sets up a time to come back with the kids for them, and we head back home, eager to see how the progress is coming on the shield.

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