Page 153 of Stars At Dusk

Kainan lifted his chin in commiseration and clapped a hand over Zane’s silk-clad shoulder. ‘Know this drains you big time, brother, and that you may need some major cool-down, but we’ll keep a close watch and take care of you if it goes wild.’

Zane nodded and rose, moving to a couch against one of the walls. He removed his pricey jacket, placing it carefully on the back of a chair nearby. Then he undid his diamond cufflinks and rolled up his sleeves, the entire ritual proving amusing to his brothers.

Ignoring their chuckles, Zane lay down and stretched out, plumping a pillow under his head and settling in for comfort. ‘Here goes,’ he finally said.

He closed his eyes while touching together his right hand’s thumb and forefinger, summoning a latent energy from deep within himself.

Zane’s eyes flew open, and wildness of blue arcs shot out from them. He tipped his head back, and the lightning-like bolts reached into the air, seemingly searching an unseen realm.

Kainan stood over his brother, hands crossed over his chest, watching keenly as Zane tapped into his psionic sight. His mind travelled between dimensions and crossed over different planes of existence, overriding the satellite and comms breakdown to link the Riders’ minds to each other again.

I’ve secured our neural network. So we can reach Kage now.

With his psionic net extended, Zane patched into Void X. The flyer, hovering high above Eden II’s northern plains, transmitted a live aerial feed of the area directly below it. Sure enough, a ship was coasting above the silver-brown regolith.

‘Think I’ve found him,’ Zane said out loud.

Kainan nodded. ‘Hell yeah, let’s take a look.’

Zane patched his psionic feed into the conference screen’s holos.We’re most likely looking at an Eptá class Galician raider. They carry missile silos and laser cannons. I’m also getting meta mote chip telemetry from two locations close to each other on that hostile ship.

That’s our two Rinnax clones. One of them I can confirm is Faron esquire,Kage said quietly, his voice flooding their neural nodes.So you now have an exact location for where I’m at.

Kainan gave a half smile.Brother, good to have you back. How bad have they given it to you? Ko’sawa?

Ko’sawa. Nothing I can’t handle, khosi.

Where are you?

Inside the enemy’s ship. They most likely used missiles to knock out all surveillance drones and satellites in the area. I’ve sent you some data on their boat - watch out for its lasers and missile launchers.

How did they get you?Riv asked with a sly smile on his face.Thought you were untouchable.

Get off, Riv,Kage groused.They used a nifty spider disruptor. Made a mess of my metanoids, node and suit, but I soon regained control. We need us some of those.

So now we know where you’re at, how do we get you back?Xion asked.

We’re in the air, so whatever you’re planning needs to be airborne. Gotta dash, brothers. The clones have emerged once more to inflict their weak pain on me. I’ll transmit any conversations we have via the node.

Stay safe, brother,Kainan said.We’ll keep working on our infiltration plan. We’re coming for you soon. Hang in there.

Kage

‘Is that all you got?’

The burly Edenite played up to the clones’ ‘torture’. They’d removed the mag ropes they’d trussed him up in and proceeded to try to tear his suit off him. It refused to budge, fused by command to his body’s metanoids. They resorted to kicks and punches, which his suit easily deflected while he ducked to miss most blows. He, however, gave off a few groans and moans, and feigned injury, which gave the clones some joy.

Finally tired out, they gave up. Four of them slumped into their crash couches on the Haiku’s bridge.

Another had remained at a large console throughout, coordinating what Kage supposed was the malware hack on The Sable Group.

Faron, however, remained on his feet, pacing his bridge.

Kage looked at him through slitted eyes. ‘What do you want, Rinnax?’

‘Patience Edenite, all shall be revealed soon,’ Faron responded curtly.

Kage waited for a beat, then pushed on. ‘What’s this all about, Faron? It can’t be all because you’re still salty about Ruben. He’s replaceable from the looks of it,’ he goaded, jerking his chin to the other clones in the room.

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