Avert Read online

  Randr inclined his head and grinned. “I have been listening. She has been very thorough. Any additional questions?”

  “Tons. What does Nameless mean?”

  Randr answered, “The universe that died at the moment of the big bang was nameless. Nothing survived. We give up our previous lives, including family and home worlds, and so, we are Nameless in all our actions from this point onward. No planet recognizes us and only Home is ours.”

  Aura elbowed him. “In a slightly less tangled version, we are Nameless because the Orb of Time has no name. The previous universe had no name. We call ourselves Nameless because this is our new start, our way of honouring what we have become. Other races call us Nameless, Sentinels, Watchers and Bringers of Light.”

  Sky whistled softly. “We get around.”

  Aura grinned. “Yes we do.”

  As Sky rubbed her forehead ruefully, she had to admit she was intrigued, and more than that, she was in.

  Chapter Three

  Sky had to admit she was well and truly hooked. She wanted to know more about the rabbit hole she had fallen into and when Tavik appeared at her side, she looked up into the same eyes that everyone else in the room was wearing and smiled.

  He smiled tentatively in return, as if unfamiliar with the reason for her cheerful expression. “The council is waiting for you, Sky. Are you comfortable enough with the introduction that Aura has provided?”

  She nodded. “I have more questions.”

  “I will be happy to answer them. We simply have a small matter to attend to first.”

  Sky cocked her head. “What?”

  “Your viewing of the Orb of Time and induction into the Nameless.”

  Sky looked down at her station-issue tunic, trousers and boots. “I am not going to meet the Orb of Time looking like this. Is there somewhere I can find some clothing?”

  Aura stood. “I can take her.”

  Tavik raised his hand. “I will take her to the acquisition centre. You can take care of the summoning that the Orb has sent to you.”

  Randr chuckled and Aura swore as she flared with a brilliant light.

  Aura smiled at Sky, her eyes brilliant and alive in her glowing face. “I will see you when I return, Sky. Don’t worry about the eyes. They will go great with that hair of yours.”

  Randr wrapped his arm around Aura’s waist and together, they disappeared in a flash of light.

  Sky blinked and stood up. “Does that happen often around here?”

  Tavik grinned. “All the time. You get used to it.”

  She looked at his dark gold hair, kept off his face by two neat braids at his temples. His skin was a pale gold with a texture that gave the shadows of his face a peculiar colouration. Dark blue accented the slight hollow of his cheeks under the high cheekbones. The sharp curve of his lips was medium blue and the column of his neck was highlighted with the same blue shadows.

  Whatever race he was from was a new one for Sky. “What colour were your eyes originally?”

  “Dark purple, why?”

  “Just wondering. Now, where are you taking me?”

  He straightened his impressively wide shoulders. “I am taking you to acquisitions. If you want to select another set of clothing that is the place to do it.”

  She brushed her hands absently at her clothing, removing crumbs from her shirt and trousers. “Lead on, Tavik.”

  He stepped up to her and wrapped his arms around her, sending a bubble of light around them both. When the hot light receded, they were in another place, in front of a large building that held the distinctive whir of machinery.

  “Um, I think you can let me go now, Tavik.”

  Being plastered against his body was distracting to say the least. In her time at Resku Station, she had never been anywhere near one of the aliens that frequented the place. If she had found one who looked and felt this good, she might have reconsidered.

  When he released her, her body let her know of its disappointment.

  “Come along, Sky.”

  He took her by the hand and his palm scraped lightly against her skin. The tiny contact became the focus of her attention as they entered the domed building filled with the scent of mechanical operations.

  A short line of others was focussing on a large display screen and Tavik explained. “You will key in your sizes and a selection of clothing will be displayed from differing cultures and points in time. When you make your selection, the computer will send a bot to retrieve the item from storage. The process takes only a few minutes.”

  “So, we get in line?”

  He nodded. “We get in line.”

  They stood side by side and Sky noted one important thing, Tavik was still holding her hand.

  Scrolling through the selections, she was shocked to see her own designs in the available listing. With a few light taps of her fingers, she picked out a deep black tank dress with a fitted bodice and flowing skirt. It wasn’t fancy, but it suited her.

  To match it, she selected a pair of knee-high boots that laced snugly onto her calves.

  It took the computer two minutes to find her selections and deliver them to her. “Where is there a change room?”

  Tavik gestured to their left where she had seen others disappear with their boxes.

  The change rooms had charming chairs, fully appointed vanities and a number of hangers on the wall. The change room she had wandered into was also larger than her first apartment.

  When Sky opened the box, she smiled at the matching underwear that was in with the dress. She removed her station wear with relief and slipped into the bra and panties before lacing up her boots and slipping her dress over her head.

  A few deft tugs at the laces made the dress snug on her body, just as she had designed it. The mystery as to why her designs were in evidence was just another question that she wanted to ask.

  She frowned at her reflection in the mirror and adjusted her cap of long curls. No matter what she did, they refused to hang below her shoulders, so she was resigned to wearing her hair in the only style it would accept. It was her grandmother’s hair. The curls were the result of a wild mix of genes that had led to her grandmother being excised from polite society. Gran didn’t mind. She had married the man she loved and built a life and family with him. If she had tried, she could have passed as white in the towns and cities they visited, but Gran didn’t believe in being something that you weren’t. She was proud of her heritage and her children should be proud too.

  Sky smiled at the memory of her gran. Sara Raynard had been a force to be reckoned with and the primary means for Sky joining the Terran Volunteers. When the rest of the Raynards had caused a fuss, Sara had stomped her cane down and said quietly, “She is going to be a representative of all the peoples of Earth. We are going to let her go and give her our blessing. Sky will make us proud as she always has in the past.”

  The rest of the family had quieted and Sky had rushed to hug her gran. The scent of roses and lavender had embraced her and Sky had tried to commit the scent to memory.

  A knock at the change room brought her attention back to the present. “Are you ready, Sky?”

  She wiped at the tears that had tracked down her cheeks and quickly removed her sewing kit from inside her station tunic. She fastened it under the hem of her skirt and went to face Tavik.

  “Sorry it took so long.”

  He smiled, “It was well worth the wait. You look lovely.”

  “Thank you. Where to next?”

  “The Council of Seven and your induction as a Nameless.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and started to walk with her on one of the huge arching pathways.

  They walked slowly. “Why are we walking here when you could just pop into the other place?”

  “We try not to pop in on the council. It shows lack of respect, besides, I thought you would enjoy gathering your thoughts before the change.”

  She grinned. “My thoughts are pretty well centred. I am fairly focussed when I
have to be.”

  He smiled back at her, his face still a little stiff as if the expression didn’t come naturally. “I am glad to hear it, but in that case, simply enjoy the view. Home is lovely right now.”

  She thought that he had an act for understatement. Home was breathtaking. The feeling of almost being able to touch the stars, nebulas and spinning galaxies was overwhelming.

  Life on Resku had contained its challenges, but something was telling Sky that her idea of what a challenge entailed was about to be tested.

  Chapter Four

  The building that housed the Council of Seven was a tall cylinder that descended below the level of the walkways and into a crevice that allowed a view of the stars beneath.

  “We just go inside?” Sky was suddenly nervous.

  “We do. They know you are here. They always know when new arrivals appear.”

  Tavik’s arm around her waist was suddenly the only solid thing in her universe as he urged her into the dark maw of the doorway.

  A semi-circle of Nameless faced Sky. The spot on the centre of the floor was obviously for her. Tavik gave her support by standing behind her.

  A woman with black hair in an elaborate twist complete with tiny braids smiled at her. “Welcome, Sky Raynard of the Alliance Protectorate of Terra, Seamstress of Resku Station.”

  Sky knew at that moment that it was the last time she would hear her own name and titles like that. “Thank you for the welcome.”

  The woman inclined her head. “I am Ravikka and I am currently the speaker for the Council of Seven. Do you have questions for us?”

  Sky smiled, “Do you know why I had to die?”

  Ravikka sat up straight and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she nodded. “You had to die because the station had to be completely overrun and become a base for the Raiders. They needed to be there, because their proximity put them in exactly the right position to be affected by the blasts from two different members of the Sector Guard on different worlds.”

  “That made a difference?”

  “If you had survived, they would have gone deeper into Nyal space to hide and the occupants of Resku would have been blasted by the Sector Guard by accident instead.”

  Sky rocked back on her heels. So her death really had made a difference. “That makes sense, but how will I know that it is the truth?”

  A few of the other councillors murmured, but Ravikka waved them off. “You won’t know until it happens, or until you have an assignment that tunes you into that timeline. Once it has come to pass, you will have the knowledge in your mind as sure as you are standing here before me today.”

  “I find that difficult to believe.”

  Ravikka and the others got to their feet. “Then, follow us and you will know and believe.”

  Sky followed the slow pace of the seven as they led the way down a spiralling staircase. When they reached ground level, a spiral on the floor with a small platform at the end of it told Sky what she needed to know.

  Tavik stayed near the staircase and the seven fanned out around the edge of the room, standing next to icons in the wall.

  Sky slowly paced her way around the coiling path until she was standing on the small platform. As one, the seven councillors pressed the icons next to them and below her, in the spinning void of space a glow set off and came toward her.

  The Orb of Time lifted out of space and hovered in front of Sky’s face. She felt the touch on her mind briefly before light flared out and she was given the energy that she had not asked for.

  Screaming was a tacky option, but it was all that came to mind as fire burned along every nerve she had. Her mind filled with details of her own life, Tavik’s life and the life they would have together.

  She also saw a woman alone on a rocky out cropping, snow swirling around her and her shaking hands were caressing her pregnant belly.

  The woman bore a startling resemblance to Ravikka’s species, but the eyes were a vivid purple instead of swirling black.

  The moment that Sky could walk again, she turned and followed the spiral outward again. Her skin was glowing hot pink, but as far as she knew, it was a normal side effect.

  Tavik corrected her assumption when his own skin started to pulse with the same pink. “Sky, what are you seeing?”

  “A pregnant woman alone on a mountain top.”

  “It is my vision as well.”

  Ravikka stood next to them and cleared her throat. “Sky, may I have a moment alone with you?”

  Tavik scowled, “Councillor, you know by this colouration that it is urgent.”

  Ravikka raised her hand. “A moment.”

  Sky shrugged and followed the councillor to a corner. “What is it, Councillor?”

  “You are about to meet me. You are going back in time to help me birth my babe before I die and when I do, you have been given the energy to send me here in my own timeline without you accompanying me.”

  Sky’s eyes were wide. “What?”

  “Take my child, bring him to the nearest town, a charming inn with two ducks on the banner. Bring him to the innkeeper and his wife and tell them that his name is Kavik. Then, come back and I will explain everything else.”

  Sky nodded and frowned, “This won’t mess things up?”

  “This is what must happen. Go without a cowl. You were dressed like this when I first saw you, as was Tavik, now go.”

  Confused, she turned and walked back to Tavik. “We can go now. How do we do that?”

  Tavik smiled, “For this one, I will transport you. You will be able to do it soon on your own.”

  She didn’t have a chance to express how insane this all felt to her, a surge of energy enveloped them both and in another moment, she was shivering on a mountainside with Tavik next to her.

  “Where is she?” Tavik shouted against the wind.

  Sky pointed to the opening in the rock face. “She is already in labour. We need to get to her quickly.”

  “Lead the way. I am not that comfortable with this aspect of the assignment.”

  Sky wanted to chuckle, but her jaw chattered instead. She thanked her luck that she picked boots instead of sandals and waded through snow to get to the small opening in the side of the stone wall.

  The blaster strike next to her head preceded a groan by seconds.

  “I am not here to harm you, Ravi. Please relax. I have a companion and he is here to help you as well.”

  The woman on the ground bore only slight resemblance to the dignified councillor. Her black hair was matted, her purple eyes were sunken and her golden blue skin had a sallow cast. “Liars, you are here from the palace.”

  Sky looked down at her dress. “Do you think I would have survived travelling in this? I have been sent here through time to save your baby and bring him to safety. Will you let me help you?”

  At her back, she could feel Tavik stiffen in surprise at her bald explanation, but she couldn’t worry about him now. There was too much blood pooling under Ravikka’s gown for anything to be proceeding properly.

  Ravikka blinked rapidly to focus. “You will keep him safe?”

  “We will keep him safe and take him to where he can be raised free from any association with you. Will that do?”

  Ravi winced. “You are very blunt.” She paused as another contraction gripped her.

  “I thought that time might be of the essence. Now, will that do?”

  Ravi bared her teeth. “I offer you my bracelets in compensation for your efforts. Keep him from his father and it will definitely do. Now, strange creature with stars in your eyes, help bring him into the world so that I can leave it.”

  It was a moment that Sky wished she had never witnessed. Ravikka fought hard and as her child slid into the world, she began to leave it.

  Absently, Sky slid the bracelets on her arms, the mix of gold and stones reached almost to her elbow in a strange and lacy pattern. Somehow, she knew they were important.

  “Tavik, come here. I don’t know how
to do this.”

  He was at her side in an instant, his post by the doorway abandoned in favour of helping her.

  “What do you need?”

  “We have to send her Home, in this time. Can you help me do that without going ourselves?”

  He nodded and pressed one hand to her shoulder. Sky pressed her hand to the palm that had just caressed her son before she started fading.

  A glow surrounded Ravikka and she flared as she went Home.

  Sky sat back. “Will they know what to do?”

  Tavik smiled, “The pink energy makes a noise that brings all on duty running. They will come and take her to safety, restarting her life at Home.”

  The baby wailed.

  Sighing, Sky scooped him off the bedding and she carefully wrapped him in a bundle of silks left behind by Ravikka. He fussed, and his deep lavender eyes blinked fuzzily at her, but she held him close.

  She closed her eyes and imagined the inn with the two ducks at the bottom of the mountain.

  “How do I go where I am looking?”

  Tavik was at her side. “Simply take a step forward, you have already gathered the energy.”

  With a shaky sigh and a stroke along the baby’s downy cheek, Sky stepped forward and found herself on the street next to a sign with two ducks.

  She went inside and when an older woman asked what she wanted, Sky asked for the innkeeper and his wife.

  An older man came forward and stood next to the woman. “What do you want stranger with the strange eyes?”

  “I have been charged with bringing you this baby. His name is Kavik and his mother is no longer on this world.”

  The older woman cried out and covered her mouth, but the man nodded and held out his arms. “Kavik, my son you shall be. Your mother remembered.”

  Sky smiled weakly. “You knew her?”

  The old woman looked up through the same dark purple eyes that Ravikka had worn. “She was our daughter, taken by the emperor for his bed. We hoped that she was barren, but now that she is gone, we will take our new son and raise him to be a fine man.”