He swung his staff low, trying to sweep her legs out.
Kate jumped up quickly to avoid the hit, but a small bolt of electricity shot out from his staff as he passed underneath, hitting the bottom of her feet. She lost control and fell to the floor.
William kept the momentum and swung around for another blow. She recovered and tumbled backwards to avoid the hit and regain her balance.
Kate counterattacked and stabbed at her father’s face. She wasn’t close enough to hit him; but, she was close enough to send a bright flash of light into his eyes and temporarily blind him.
Then she swung her staff around, hitting him hard on the side of his head and forcing him off balance.
He stumbled back a few steps trying to put some distance between them while he regained composure. Kate was on him, and pulled back her staff for a strong hit, hoping to finish him off.
That’s when the doors to the training room opened.
Both warriors stopped dead in their tracks and looked over to see what disturbed them.
Sun walked over. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with your father,” she said.
“About what?” Kate questioned.
“There’s an urgent message from Shackleton Base.”
“From Io?” William asked.
“No. It’s Omari.”
William turned to Kate. “Same time tomorrow?”
“Fine,” Kate said.
As the doors to the training room closed William told Sun, “you should take my place tomorrow.”
“Take your place where?”
“Sparring with Kate.”
“You want me to spar with Kate?” Sun asked.
“I told her I would meet her at the same time tomorrow morning,” he said. “But I may have other things to attend to.”
“I had plans with Maria in the morning,” she said.
William stopped, turned to Sun and took her hands. “It would help you,” he told her.
Sun lowered her head, and let some tears slip down her cheek. William lifted her chin up and kissed her softly on the lips.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you, too.”
“Whether you feel up to it or not,” he told her. “Get up in the morning, dress in your gear, grab your staff, and walk to the training room.”
“I don’t know if …,” she started.
“I do,” he said. “Sometimes we have to fight our way back. Let the fighter in you come out, and you will find your way.”
He put his arm around her, and the two continued down the corridor.
* * *
William sat down at the desk in his office and opened the communicator. Omari’s face appeared on the screen.
“You have something urgent to discuss with me,” William said.
“Yes, sir,” Omari told him. “The Machinists have sent a message to Io.”
“On the moon?”
“Yes. They had the correct address. It was sent directly to her quarters.”
“Does she know?”
“No. I’ve been checking deliveries since we arrived.”
“Don’t tell her,” William said. “Was it paper or digital?”
“Paper.”
“He’s the only one who still uses that medium. Show me,” William demanded.
Omari lifted up a piece of paper to the screen, and turned it around to show the entire document. He pointed to a small mark in the bottom right-hand corner. “This is his signature.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
“I suppose it could be copied,” William said. “But why would anyone want to?”
“Perhaps they think it will strike fear in our hearts,” Omari told him.
“We killed him. We have nothing to fear from that signature,” he said.
“Could it be his descendants? Trying to make a statement about what they are after.”
“Perhaps. We killed the parent, so they’ll kill the child.”
“It could just be posturing.” Omari said. “But I am not willing to take that chance when it comes to Io’s safety. I think we should return to the compound.”
“You cannot.”
“We know the Odyssey will not arrive.”
“We don’t know that,” William told him. “And the one thing that could come in its place is even more dangerous. I need you on Jupiter Station.”
“Another reason to send Io home,” Omari said. “Let me go on alone. I can be the family’s representative. The people will not assume the Odyssey is in trouble; they will believe the decision is a result of all the family has been through.”
“I will consider it. But for now, stay on schedule. You leave in a few days,” William said. “Have you confirmed the passenger list for the ship?”
“I have.”
“The ten I pointed out need to be watched, but not disturbed. Do you understand?”
“Of course.”
“I will send word once I have decided about Io. In the meantime, scan the document and send me the hologram. I want to see every detail.”
“Understood.”
“If the Machinists have returned, we may find ourselves fighting two battles at once.”
No comments:
Post a Comment