I can’t turn less dense like the shadow-blobs. Frustration pulses. I managed to get through the blockade when I was dreaming, for stars’ sake. And when I flew to the satellite feeds it was ea—
Oh my stars. A terrible idea occurs to me. I mean really really bad. But it’s the only play I have left. Before I can change my mind—I can’t believe I’m going to do it—I remove my tangs.
My presence—for lack of a better word—lightens. The web of alarms around me no longer constricts. Fun and frightening. I fly between the strands, heading straight for Jarren’s breach. When I reach it, I slow back to snail mode and slip through the crack in the blockade. Peeking out, I brace for an ambush.
Nothing except the vastness that is the rest of the Q-net. Yes! I don’t waste time celebrating, though. My first task is to create an escape route through the blockade. A near-invisible one so we can contact DES without alerting Jarren. I move far away from his exit. It’s easier on this side because all his programs are set to keep information in. My tunnel is like a sewing needle sliding through the tiny holes in a fabric’s weave. In this case, the needle is hollow to allow messages to get through. It’s a delicate and exacting process.
Once I finish, I seek a way to contact DES, even though a headache slams on my skull. I’m thinking about searching for an interstellar navigator when a life-saving device pops up from nowhere. Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. But it reminds me of those red floating survival rings we had when I was a kid on Planet Ulanqab. The research base was right next to a shallow lake. I’ve lots of good memories of playing in that lake with Phoenix—splash fights, dunking him, being dunked, sculpting Warriors out of sand—go on, say it, we were archeology geeks.
It’s pretty obvious the life ring is a trap set by Jarren. I inspect it carefully for his fingerprints, search for hidden alarms, and near-invisible traps. It’s clean. Huh. I mull over the implications for a while. It only materialized when I considered finding a navigator. Who would leave something like this so close to the blockade? And who had the skills to hide it so well?
The answer appears as suddenly as the device. I grab the ring. A message from Chief Vasily pops up. Confirmation that I wasn’t dreaming when I reached out to the navigation chief. Good news, right?
2522:215: Officer Radcliff, DES security personnel were unable to find, let alone break through, your so-called looters’ blockade. In fact, considering the planet has gone silent, most of them think your message is a morbid prank from a bored wormer. I’m not as certain since the skills needed to reach me are beyond a typical wormer. I’m leaving this hidden connection to me with the hope that you can once again “escape” the blockade and contact me.
I guess I couldn’t blame the Chief for thinking my message was a hoax, but you have to give him credit for following up and for the skill needed to keep the so-called looters from finding it. He sent it fourteen days ago. I hope he’s not in a time jump by now.
2522:229: Chief Vasily, thank you for being willing to believe me. We’ve created an escape tunnel through the blockade. Although I now have access to DES, I’m still concerned about the looters discovering our new ability to communicate. Can you aid us in contacting someone in security who can guarantee us a secure and safe connection?
In other words, someone who knows how to keep the wormers out. Knowing Beau is waiting for me, I’m about to use my escape tunnel and return, when a message arrives. That was fast.
2522:229: Officer Radcliff! So glad to hear from you. I’m about to win a ton of credits from the rest of the crew. I’m patching in our Chief of Security, Officer Odette Bouchet. She’ll make sure you reach the right people at DES without tipping the looters off. Here she is!
Hello Tace! Thank the universe you’re alive. Is your son, Keith, also well?
Oh no. She knows Radcliff and is purposely trying to test him. Better fess up before she asks me something I don’t know.
>>Officer Bouchet, this is Junior Officer Ara Lawrence. I’m sorry for the deception, but I used Officer Radcliff’s name because no one would know me as I’m new to security. Both