the evil scientists are.” Sending out ‘we come in peace vibes’, I watched it approach.
“If it makes any hostile moves, break your link,” Trayon commanded.
“Not going to be a problem boss.”
An eerily melodic female voice asked abruptly, “Why have you invaded our necropolis?”
Merda! Was Denebola an alien cemetery? Why hadn’t the scanners picked up the graves? “We meant no disrespect. Our enemy, the Rodan, have brought our people here. We only wish to free them.” I flashed her images of a typical Rodan soldier, the carnage inside their slaughter ships and ended with Mallox’s and Giovanni’s ugly faces. “Those are the faces of our enemies.” I showed her pictures of Adam. “This is my brother, Adam. I must save him before he becomes this.” Drawing from my memories of Giovanni’s super soldiers, I gave her a live action version of the different types of monsters.
“Who she?” LeeLee asked.
“Shh, babies.”
LooLoo added, “She go fast like Father Trayon.”
“Yes, she does. I need you to be very quiet while I talk to her.”
“Kay,” the twins said together.
Find out what she is, and if she is friend or foe,” Trayon instructed on our private link.
Like I hadn’t thought of that already? “My name is Jia. What are you called?”
“Oni. I was awakened from my long sleep by your intrusion.”
“Reassure her that we mean her no harm,” Trayon ordered.
I rolled my eyes. Like nuking the planet wasn’t harmful. “We are not your adversary, but the Rodan are. They will destroy your city of the dead. We will help you protect your sacred places. All I ask in return is you let me search for those taken from us.”
“Why do you have two minds?”
Chiara answered, “We joined to search for the lost ones.”
“Are you mates?”
“No. Chiara is the daughter of my heart. My mate is called Trayon,” I replied.
“Are the small ones your children?”
“I did not birth them, but in our culture, family comes in all sizes, shapes and species,” I said.
“Children are precious and should always be protected.”
“I agree. Family is everything,” I said.
Oni’s blue ball halted a short distance from the processing plant. “All of you are females?”
“We are.” Butterflies danced in my stomach. I hoped that was a good thing. Oni seemed happy about it. Maybe she was just lonely and needed some girl talk.
“I will grant you an audience,” Oni proclaimed.
A crackling white energy storm engulfed us. “Wait!”
Trayon’s roar of rage echoing in my ears, a horrific, twisting funnel of energy rocketed us across a weird black void.
Chapter Twenty
The energy storm dumped us in an enormous cavern. Slashes of lightning danced and pulsed over stone walls elaborately decorated with carvings and paintings.
My head spun dizzily as I pushed myself upright. I never, ever wanted to do that again.
“What happened Mother Jia?” Chiara cried.
“Not quite sure. I think Oni used some type of transporter beam on us. Are you hurt?”
“I am a bit light-headed but suffered no physical injury.”
“LeeLee? LooLoo? Are you okay?”
“Their auras have dimmed,” Chiara warned.
Holy Mother! I pulled their little bodies out of my hair. They were both curled in a ball. I instinctively reached out to Trayon. “We need a medic. Fast!” Shock turned to fear and then panic. I couldn’t sense him. There was only a horrible, empty black void where our link should be.
“I cannot feel Father Trayon’s or Cason’s or Pepe’s or Adoz’s minds. What has happened to them?” Chiara wailed.
“I don’t know. The Rodan were still light years away.” Summoning every ounce of my power, I reached out again. “Trayon?” When he failed to respond, a raw and primitive grief overwhelmed me. Had a mad bomber gotten on the ship again? Was Trayon and the others dead?
“He cannot hear you. The walls are shielded,” Oni’s voice came from the glowing blue ball hovering over us.
A shudder of relief shook me. Thank God. Trayon had to be going nuts. “Please, my children are injured. I need to summon a medic.”
The ball landed. The hull cracked open and out stepped a cat-faced humanoid wearing tarnished silver armor. Her golden hair reminded me of a lion’s mane. A long wand appeared in Oni’s hand and she ran it over the twins. “The quantum beam has disrupted their neuron circuits. I will reset them.”
“Thank you.” I watched anxiously as a glowing silver light engulfed them. If anything happened to them, I’d never forgive myself.
Oni ran a gentle hand over the twins. “What are they?”
“They’re Tabors, a race of intelligent, telepathic arachnids.” I touched the first twin. “This is LeeLee