that what I look like when I’m being stubborn?”
I glance in the mirror. “No. It’s what you look like when you’re being confident and logical.”
“Nice.” Then she sighs. “It hasn’t been that long since the attack. Jarren could be monitoring all our activity on the Q-net.”
“He has been monitoring our activity since we arrived on Yulin, Mom. But now we know what he can do.”
“And he knows what you can do.”
Fair point. Except. “But Lyra is dead. He has no idea what Ara can do. She has a new perspective on navigating the Q-net.”
“Because of your internship with Chief Hoshi?”
“That certainly helped.”
She pins me with one of her I-know-you’re-not-telling-me-everything stares. If she pushes it, I might have to lie. I’m not ready to explain to anyone that my consciousness flew through the Q-net when I was officially dead—no terminal or tangs needed. Yes, I know all about hallucinations, but, deep inside my mind, past the area that normally denies things like this, I know it was real. Everyone thought those shadow-blobs were a figment of my concussed imagination and look how that turned out. However, I don’t have the energy to argue another this-really-happened-and-I’m-not-crazy situation.
When she doesn’t respond, I say, “You need to allow me to be an active member of the security team.”
“I’ll talk this over with your father,” Mom says.
“All right.” I keep my tone neutral even though excitement pumps through my heart. My father defers to Mom when it’s a family decision.
I get another look from her, but thankfully she doesn’t go into interrogation mode.
“I suggest you get to bed early tonight, Ara,” Radcliff says as I head toward the door. He’s sitting on the couch, reading from a portable.
There’s a hint of smugness in his tone so I stop and meet his gaze. He knows about earlier. “Who ratted me out?”
“The officer monitoring the security cameras.”
Ah. I forgot. “I’m surprised you didn’t tell my mother.”
“Training is hard. You’re not the first nor the last recruit to pass out. I’ve seen big men topple just at the sight of blood. As long as you don’t make a habit of it.”
So why bother with this entire conversation? To imply I can’t get away with anything? What does he expect me to do? Perhaps I need to practice some of my poise on him.
“Officer Radcliff, thanks for the…advice.” Warning is more like it. “I appreciate your concern. However, I’m under the impression that your security officers are able to use their free time as they wish. I assume that as long as I stay in security that applies to me as well?”
A reluctant nod along with a pained expression as if he wanted to say more.
I don’t give him a chance. “I won’t be long.”
As I walk to the rec room, I pass a few other officers and nod a hello. Most have dark circles under their eyes. They move as if a heavy wet blanket is wrapped around their shoulders and dragging behind them.
The double doors to the training room are closed. Odd. I assumed that since the officers worked around the clock, the room would be available as well. Clanks of metal and muffled voices seep from the gap under the door. Perhaps there’s a special training session going on. That makes more sense.
But I slow. The hallway is bright. Too bright. Every colony planet and Warrior planet keeps Earth time. We have twenty-four hour days and three hundred and sixty-five days in a year with that lucky leap day every fourth one. It’s archaic and can be quite comical when you’re living on a planet with over twenty-four hours of daylight and one season lasting an entire Earth year, but it unifies us Earthlings who are spread across the Milky Way Galaxy. Plus the light/dark cycle matches our natural circadian rhythm.
Normally, at this time of night, the hall lights would be dim. All public areas of the base have muted “night time” lights for about twelve hours a day. The overly bright hallway ends and, by the time I reach the recreation room, the illumination is normal.
No one is in the rec room. Not a surprise as everyone’s been so busy. I’m lucky to actually have free time. Although I suspect that will soon change. I tug a small couch over to the spot the cameras can’t see—not because I plan to jump Niall as soon as he arrives…hmmm…no, it’s way too public of an area. But because I’m tired of being under the microscope all