Twins
29 Dec 2023Ryuko Ntsikana
Part Thirty-Two
Twins
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"Your efforts may have borne fruit," Avery stated, in her neutral voice. "Monty reported the laughter of a child and the green-lit corridors of this ship. As with all dream imagery, there is meaning in it. This one, we do not yet understand. However, the fading stars from the vantage point of a fleet carrier's bridge wing office, distinct in its regular lighting and the presence of a woman with raven-black hair, we can comprehend. Zooey is on a different fleet carrier, and it's in motion. Neither Monty nor his symbiote recalled any vision of a destination. Statistically, there is no calculated reason for her to have access to such an asset unless it was for traveling great distances. The probable destination, I believe, is us."
“We can take on the carrier and whatever crew it has,” Rex stated, looking over at Zarathustra, “but we can’t fight both it and that thing's essence at the same time.”
Xochitl nodded, appearing unfazed by Rex’s revelation of the obvious, as Yatziri leaned forward, looking at Xochitl with a curious stare. “What are you up to?” Yatziri almost whispered as Xochitl looked at Avery, nodding her head. “Make the preparations. I need to speak with the clan’s elders, and then I need some alone time with my parents.”
Avery nodded, sending out the messages as Xochitl looked at Yatziri, Rex, and Zarathustra, each in turn. “Find a suitable place for the coming battle, and make sure your people are well fed and rested. As for the essence, I need a team prepared to snatch Zooey the moment a path is cleared to her.”
Yatziri huffed, knowing what Xochitl meant, but was stopped short from making a reply as Xochitl redirected her gaze to Avery. “I need time to converse with Monty and the symbiote, after I meet with the elders and then my parents. We need to prepare, and depending on the other ship’s fuel state, we may or may not have much time to get ready.”
Xochitl stood up and walked briskly out the door as everyone shared concerned glances with one another. “Oh hell,” Yatziri quipped, getting both Rex and Zarathustra's attention.
Yatziri noticed their stares. “She’s planning on being the one who clears the path to Zooey.”
“No,” Rex protested, standing upright. “Her place is leading the efforts, not playing soldier!”
“I agree,” Zarathustra stated. “I have people who are well-trained for a snatch and grab. I can’t protect her against that thing's essence and whatever is coming with it if she leaves the confines of this ship.”
“No, you do not have people trained for this type of operation,” Avery countered. “If Zooey remains, then Xochitl’s presence may be what is required to throw her off long enough for an opening to be made for the symbiote and the others to exploit.”
“The risk of losing her in the action is too great,” Rex responded, glaring at Avery.
“Other than physical appearance, everyone is assuming that Zooey still exists,” Yatziri stated with a flat cold tone.
Rex nodded his head towards her. “She has a point.”
“All the more reason to not let her off the ship, if or when she arrives,” Zarathustra stated, looking at Avery.
Yatziri placed her booted feet on Xochitl’s desk. “Again, we are assuming that Zooey is headed in this direction, or that we are interpreting Monty’s dreams correctly. If she is on a capital class ship, then it could be headed in any direction, and those are large ifs.”
“If the science and statistical models are correct, we can be her only destination,” Avery quipped. “You forget the symbiote and its essence are correlated. Each is dependent upon the properties of the other. This is not a physical attraction, like two magnets, but more of two halves requiring the other. The closer they get to each other, the more influence they will have, as they are two parts of the same whole.”
“Whoa there, wait a minute,” Rex said holding up his hand. “What happens when the two halves enter the same system?”
“That is the entity's battle. Xochitl’s is to provide whatever distraction her physical presence can offer and ours is to deal with whatever else there may be…which we do not know.”
“You are leaving out one key detail,” Yatziri said, leaning her head back in the chair and closing her eyes.
Avery looked down at her. “Yes, I did.”
Xochitl walked through the corridors of bustling clan members, spurred into action by the elders, preparing for the coming battle. Though she was their leader, few acknowledged her presence and passage, as it was the custom for the leader to be leading, at the tip of the spear. No one was more important than the whole, including the person at the top, Xochitl reminded herself as she entered the elevator, which transported her to the service bay level.
The lone dredger was illuminated by the green lighting, sitting inside of its caged enclosure. The aft ramp was lowered with Monty sitting on it, looking across the hangar towards her, as Xochitl walked past the shield guards and into the cage. There she paused for a moment, looking back at the visors of the guards, who to a person lowered their heads in respect. A smirk appeared on her face as she nodded in recognition before turning and continuing her path.