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Invasion
Excerpt from Chapter 2: "Interrogation"
Shelly’s jaw almost fell to the floor, while Derek nearly slid off his chair.
“A…a Starganaut…in our time?” Shelly retorted. “Our ancestors are long gone. The orbs had their era, but the galaxy is back to where it was. What makes them think this person is a Starganaut?”
“There were only eight orbs!” Derek protested.
“I wouldn’t know.” Veronica sounded hurt. “I wasn’t the one asking questions! Anyway, I couldn’t believe it either, so they showed me a live feed of her. I saw a woman sitting in a cell, in black armor, with a jet-black orb inset into her hauberk…just like one of our ancestors’.”
“But it was a black crystal?” Shelly rose, paced the apartment, and stroked her chin frenetically.
“You know you’re gonna rub it off that way...” Derek teased. She held up a dismissive hand, thankfully silencing him. No! It couldn’t be, could it…?
“One of Samantha’s journal entries spoke of a revelation,” Shelly mused. “She was told in a dream that others would one day wield the orbs. She believed there might be more in the galaxy, but was never certain. Could it be? Is this one of the ‘others’ meant to be a Starganaut? It would be beyond belief! Or is this woman using one of the missing crystals, corrupted? An evil crystal is not impossible. It is possible…if only we could find out more!”
“You’re aware there’s such a thing as thinking silently, right?”
“Be quiet, Derek!” Veronica chided. “I think you’re onto something, Shelly! I certainly couldn’t tell the Guard anything, but we know so little about the crystals. Even our ancestors didn’t have all the answers.”
"Exactly!” Shelly snapped her fingers, growing excited. “It’s possible there is a modern-day Starganaut. If so, the Guard would naturally question us as Starganaut descendants, though I do fault them for how they handled your interrogation.” She cast Veronica a sympathetic look. “However, one thing troubles me. If they believe we can furnish them with information, why not bring in all the descendants of the Eight? Why just you?”
“It could be because of what I witnessed, and the fact I’m a Starganaut descendant.”
Shelly pondered her friend’s words, even as her mind sorted through numerous stories she’d clung to as a child. Tales of superhuman feats, of abilities that seemed unbelievable, of missions immortalized as legend. Her grandmother had told her wonderful tales of the Eight. She’d listened long into the night, so enraptured as to lose track of time. History books corroborated many of them, and her heritage elicited amazed glances from classmates. As a teacher, Shelly often brought up her ancestors to wondering students. It was her life’s blood, as Derek’s was racing.
She had always been proud of her association with Sharko and Kaity. Veronica’s words tonight both exhilarated and unsettled her. Never before had Shelly imagined that carrying the blood of Earthlings from light-years away might carry a cost. Yet it bound them to whoever sat in the Guard’s holding cell, bearing a crystal and unknown motives. How could they be certain if such a thing was possible? She glanced at Derek and found a look on his face she recognized…unfortunately.
“Oh no, I know that expression!” she feigned a grimace. “You’re about to ask me to do something I may regret.”
“What are older brothers for?” Derek retorted impishly.