exhilarating, zooming around curves and plummeting over the cliffs. Seeking out any navigators not in a time jump, I reach Chief Vasily who is entangled with the Q-net. In order to avoid scaring him by just popping into his head, I compose a message:
2522:205: Chief Vasily, the scientists and security personnel on Planet Yulin are NOT dead. We’re alive, but being blocked from communicating with DES by looters who have a wormer working with them. Please find a way to reach us without letting the looters know.
Then I debate about who to list as the sender. According to DES, Lyra Daniels is on Yulin—status unknown. My records show my internship with Chief Hoshi so that will give Vasily more evidence that I have the skills to send the message. But I’m still a minor and he has no idea of just how accomplished I am. I make the message from Chief of Security, Officer Tace Radcliff. Of course, this is all a dream so it’s moot.
My duty done, I play. Zipping and spinning, I cross the Galaxy in seconds and hover at its edge. The void between galaxies yawns wide and dark. Our closest neighbor is the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy at forty-two thousand light years away from the Milky Way’s core. But it’s being slowly pulled apart by the Milky Way’s gravity and its long filament of stars, gas, and dust wraps around the Milky Way three times. And while I’m being an astronomy geek in my dreams, that filament is called the Monoceros Ring.
Yet even that short (when you consider the size of the universe) distance to Canis Major is impossible to cross. The Q-net’s star roads end at the edges of the Milky Way. Did the developers believe that exploring the Galaxy would take so long that we’d outgrow the Q-net and invent a new technology that would take us beyond our Galaxy? Amusement from the Q-net over that thought fills me. I’m aware of how ridiculous it sounds, but I sense it all the same.
A strident sound emanates. It yanks me from the edge and I fall toward it. I resist—flying in the Q-net is too much fun. But it’s stronger and more persistent and I can’t remain. I’m ejected into my own body with a blaze of pain that jolts me awake.
Clutching my head, I curl into a ball, only dimly aware I’m on the floor. My “you overslept” alarm is screeching. Its high-pitched tones stab into my skull like a sharp dagger. All I can do is press my hands over my ears to keep my brain from being squeezed out like a pimple. I’d laugh at the image but I’m afraid I’ll expel the contents of my stomach. A horrible pressure builds on my skin. My bones creak under its weight.
Blurry black boots appear in front of me. The alarm stops. Thank the universe! Radcliff talks but nothing makes sense. He crouches down, peering at me. I see solar systems swirl in his brown eyes.
“Doctor,” I gasp. “Please.”
Then the world crushes me.
The pain dissolves, leaving behind blissful darkness. On the edges, I sense the Q-net. It wishes for me to fly. I resist. Flying has consequences. Instead I float in the void for…I’ve no idea, but it’s nice here so stop bothering me.
Small noises intrude on my peace. My name rouses me. A cold prick in my arm accelerates awareness of my surroundings. For indeed I am lying in my bed. Someone pries open my eyelid. I flinch at the sudden light and bat at the offending hand. It moves away and I squeeze my eyes shut.
“She’s awake,” Dr. Edwards says.
Is that relief in his voice?
“What happened?” Mom asks gently. Her fingers entwine with mine.
“I…dreamt. I…flew.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Dad says.
Just how many people are in here?
“She’s been referring to worming as flying,” Beau says. “Maybe that incident yesterday caused some sort of delayed backlash.”
I peek out. My room isn’t that big, yet five people stand inside. Radcliff hovers in the doorway.
“Li-Li, is that it? Is this because you fell asleep while worming?” Dad asks.
“I…don’t know.” Or do I?
“The sensors in her brain could be damaged,” Dr. Edwards says. “She could be accessing the Q-net through Tace’s terminal.”
“Without entanglers? And this far away?” Mom asks. “That’s hard to believe.”
The queasiness in my stomach turns sour. “I dreamt I was flying through the Q-net.”
“Like when you…died?” Mom’s voice catches on the D-word.
“Yes.” I confess and wait for the inevitable questions.
They don’t disappoint. Yes,