a sharp antiseptic. Which makes me ponder the possibility of cross contamination. The shadow-blobs drew blood so they have to have our blood on their appendages. And what if they left behind some alien bacteria or a strange incurable disease in my wound. Could I turn into one of them?
My imagination must be set on overactive. I’d been stabbed by them before and I haven’t had any ill effects. Not that I noticed. As for them…would one of our viruses kill them? I don’t think the good doctor has a vial of Pavartian pox in his bag. And I doubt the adults would appreciate yet another wild speculation from me.
When Dr. Edwards leaves to tend to the others, my parents don’t follow him. Now what?
My mother sweeps her hand out, indicating me and the entrance to the pits. “How does this factor into our expedition to Pit 21?” she asks Radcliff.
“You saw the HoLFs in action. I’m hoping it has changed your mind about opening another pit.”
“None of the Warriors in Pit 21 have been damaged. The HoLFs appeared after the looters destroyed the ones in Pits 1 to 4.”
Not one to be out-stubborned—is that a word?—Radcliff says, “All the security volunteers for your team are covered with lacerations. They might not be willing to risk their lives again.”
Uncertain, Mom glances at me.
“I’m still going.”
“Why?” Radcliff asks me in a flat tone.
“We need information. The HoLFs aren’t our only problem.”
“You’re right. We still have Jarren’s blockade to breech. Once we can contact DES, then you’ll have time to search for the stolen files from Xinji. If you recover all of Lan’s research notes, you will have plenty of information,” Radcliff says.
“The key word being if. We can’t risk everyone’s lives for an if. We need to explore as many options as possible.”
My parents appear queasy. As if they’re torn between being proud of me and worried for me. Radcliff just shakes his head.
Dad goes over to one of the terminals in the lab. He inserts his tangs, but he keeps the screen dark. I check the shadows. Frequently.
“If everything stays on schedule, we’ll leave for Pit 21 on day two-fourteen,” my dad says. He disentangles and stands. “Li-Li, can you ask the other officers if they’re still willing to go?”
“I can, but I’m pretty sure they will be.” And will probably be offended to be asked.
“Good. Do you need us to stay? Just in case?” He picks up his flashlight.
“No, go to bed.” I shoo them, but they each hug me before leaving.
Now it’s just me and Radcliff. He faces the entrance with his flashlight in hand. And do you know what? Guard duty is super boring. After an hour, I almost wish a shadow-blob would peek out just to give me something to do besides yawning. The desire to sleep grows with every passing second.
Soon not even my throbbing cuts are enough to keep me alert. I lean against one of the lab tables and fight the pull of gravity. Which, in spite of the law of physics, grows stronger each eternal minute.
I jerk awake when a head bob almost sends me crashing to the floor. Despite the late hour, Radcliff’s still vigilant.
“How do you do it?” I ask him.
“Do what?”
“Stay awake when nothing’s happening.”
“I’ve had years of practice.” He peers at me in amusement. “You don’t think I started out as the Chief of Security?”
Actually I couldn’t imagine him doing anything else. And that’s saying something considering my imagination lately. “You mean you weren’t born with a pulse gun in your hand?”
He laughs. And I just about faint. That’s only the second time I’ve made Radcliff laugh since I’ve known him.
“I’m sure my mother would have mentioned that,” he says, still smiling. “No, I began like you and Niall. A junior officer.”
Wow. “Did you grow up on a space ship like Niall?”
“No. I grew up on Earth and joined DES when they sent out a recruiting call in twenty-eighty.” His smile fades as he glances at his hands, then me. “I didn’t have any skills except with my fists—I lived in a rough neighborhood—so they assigned me to security.”
Ah. “Was it hard to leave your family and Earth behind?” I think of my brother who I still miss. Phoenix is in a time jump and due to arrive at Earth in forty-two years. At that time, he’ll still be eighteen and I’ll be fifty-nine A-years old if I stay on Yulin. Ugh.
“No. Best thing I ever did.” His