Page 137 of Return of the Nine

Vida nodded. “I already saw the addition, but I didn’t want to mention it. Some folks react badly to having things seen that are not in their consciousness yet.”

Rothaway blinked and rubbed the back of his neck. “That explains your lack of shock.”

She shrugged. “When you can see the way I do, very few things in a living body can shock you.”

“So, you are in search of one of the lost ships?”

Vida leaned forward. “What do you know about them?”

“Before we arrived, no more than four and no less than two Tokkel ships escaped with samples of Gaian citizens and scientists. We had assumed that the Gaians had been killed, but Ziggy tells me that you think that is not the case.”

“They are alive. I am linked to my family. I know where my sister is and what her mood is, and I can feel my parents going about their tasks somewhere. I just need help in finding them.”

Rothaway nodded and placed his hand on the table, palm up. Ziggy took it and smiled at Vida.

“We can provide you with a probe, but we need coordinates. Are you going to be able to follow? I am guessing that you are having medical issues.”

Vida rubbed the metal over her forearm. “I have always been a little brittle. It never crossed my mind that it would be an impediment to me doing whatever I wanted.”

Ziggy chuckled. “Where I concealed my talent, Vida and Ianka have always worn theirs out for everyone to see. They worked tirelessly during and after the attacks. They found the living and sought the dead. They don’t flinch.”

“Your sibling also has this sight?”

Vida wrinkled her nose again. “Ianka is a tracker. She can find someone by traces left in the physical world. She uses scent,sight and touch predominantly. Possibly similar to your senses.”

“You and your sister don’t reside together?”

Ziggy turned her head to one side and squeezed Rothaway’s hand, but the question was out.

“No. She does not approve with my constant search for our parents. I have spent too much time staring into the empty sky, searching for traces, for the path that would lead me to them. The path from Gaia goes to orbit and then stops short. Our planet’s rotation has spun us away from that point in space that we had occupied during the attacks. I don’t know where to start looking, but I know I am not going to stop until I regain that signal.” Vida rubbed at her forehead with metal-clad fingers.

Ziggy got up, kissed Rothaway’s forehead and smiled. “I will be right back, she’s exhausted.”

The moment that Vida heard Ziggy’s words, she acknowledged that she was right. It had been over twenty-seven hours since she had slept, and her wound had taken a lot out of her. She still wasn’t quite right.

“It was nice meeting you, Rothaway.”

“I look forward to many more meals together while you are here, Vida. Enjoy your rest. I am sure that Ziggy will have you up on your feet at first rising.”

Vida got up and nodded farewell. She and Ziggy walked the short distance to the VIP quarters that had been commandeered for her. The robe swung loose and was covered in delicate dark rainbows. It was rather girly for Vida, but bodysuits were not usually worn on the ship with nothing over them or, at least, not by women. The female-to-male ratio in the Nine in general was incredibly small. Families had a lot of children because they had to, to maintain population levels, but not all members of the Nine found mates amongst their own kinds. Ziggy and Rothaway were perfect examples.

“Are you feeling all right, Vida?”

“I am as good as I can be. Let’s see if I can sleep in this can and I will give you a breakdown of my night in the morning or first rising. However you tell time on a space craft.”

“Then, I wish you good night.”

“Oh, Ziggy? Congratulations. You will make an annoying but loving mother.”

Ziggy raised a brow. “Annoying?”

“You will know everything your kid is up to. Trust me. That will be annoying.” Vida retreated into her room, and when the door closed and locked, she found her bed.

She waited for the urge to use the bathroom but nothing happened. Either the suit took care of it for her or she was going to be in the sprint for her life the moment it came off. As she settled in and let fatigue take over, she could hardly wait to find out which one it was.

In her dreams, she called for Ianka. She couldn’t continue her journey, but if she could convince Ianka that she had found her parents, she knew her sister would continue the quest.

She called and called for her sister, yelling through forests, across oceans of water and sand. Finally, she heard a reply.

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