Thorn looked at her; concern radiated from her. “Do you think they can sense you as well? Do they know you’re here?”

Viera shook her head. “I don’t think they care. I’d be like one of the drones, not nearly important enough to be picked up individually.”

Horax rumbled, “Are you sure? You know I care for the safely of this vessel, but you’re a friend, and I care about you too. I’ll fly you away from here to someplace they can’t find you, Viera, just say the word.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Horax. I know you would.”

Once everyone knew she was okay, they went back to monitoring the ship. It was definitely on a direct line to Earth. Flower Pracer moved towards the center of the bridge. “Let me send another message to them.”

Thorn sighed. “We’ve tried sending them messages. What makes you think this time will be different?”

“Commander Firoza, before they were a ship in space. Now they are approaching a planet the Elders specifically told them to avoid. Please open a channel.”

She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “Comm, open a channel. Let the Elder have his say.”

Horax, near the front of the bridge, grumbled low, “You can speak … now.” He tapped the console with his large paw. The qynad moved with grace and finesse.

“Krottel. This is Elder Flower Prancer, ambassador of the yonat to the chanzii living on Earth and the Earth Pillars. In our last meeting, you were told to not enter this space or approach Earth. The people of this planet don’t know about other alien species yet. The magic of their world and their planet in general is off-limits to you. Stop your approach and respond to this communication.”

A tension grew on the bridge. The feelings tingled along Viera’s skin as everyone waited for a response. She could almost hear their thoughts as people knew nothing would come from Flower Prancer’s words.

Thorn stood, a stiffness in her body, ready to give a command for action. Before she could say a word, Flower Prancer’s tail switched. Viera recognized his sign of annoyance; she saw it often enough.

His head turned from the display, which hadn’t changed. “I will take a small ship over and demand a conversation with them. They can’t ignore me if we’re standing face to face.”

“Not that you’re really speaking to their faces,” Thorn mumbled softly, barely loud enough to go further than where Viera sat.

Flower Prancer’s violet eyes narrowed, but before he could snap at her, Juniper cleared her throat. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We don’t know why they’re not responding. I don’t like it. It’s not safe for you to go, Elder. I will go.”

He snorted. “Who are you, Ensign? When you get there, they’ll laugh in your face.”

“They don't know anything about any of us. They don’t know me from Commander Firoza. All we know is that they’ve been ignoring us. We just need someone on that ship to find out why. In the end, I’m the most expendable, and you know that. As you said, who am I? I’m the one the ship needs least.”

It felt like someone had punched Viera in the gut. How can she think that of herself? Every person on this ship is very needed.

“Very well, Ensign Snow. Take the small one-person shuttle and find out why they’re ignoring us.”

Thorn rubbed her eyes. “If you don’t mind, Elder, I’d like to make final decisions since, you know, I’m the Commander of this ship.”

Flower Prancer had the decency to look a bit abashed. “My pardon, Commander Firoza. As you see fit.”

She sighed. “Ensign Snow, I don’t like sending anyone, but you know that small boat better than anyone on the ship. If anyone is going to fly it over to the krottel and back safely, it’s you. It’s not that you’re the least needed, it’s that you have the best skills for the job. You’re a valuable member of my crew. Don’t forget that.”

Juniper smiled shyly, ducking her head. “Thank you, Commander Firoza. I’ll head down to the shuttle bay. I’ll call up when I’m ready to head out.”

“Sounds good, Ensign.” Thorn nodded curtly and watched her as she headed to the lift. Viera observed them both, feeling Juniper’s excitement and Thorn’s resignation.

After a few minutes, Juniper’s call came up, and they all viewed as the image of the shuttle left their ship. It looked so small in comparison to the krottel’s behemoth of a machine. It was almost like Juniper became the bug approaching the monster.

As she watched, Viera stood. She realized she held the walking stick as the cool metal of the bracelet slid down her arm. The heft of the time-piece weighed heavy in her pocket. She wasn’t sure why all her magical implements wanted to make themselves known to her, but they all battled in her mind, subconsciously saying, ‘hi.’

Step by step, apprehension gripped her as the small shuttle got closer and closer to the larger silent beast. Her heart beat faster and her empty hand trembled. Sounds faded around her as her whole focus, her whole being, became Juniper and the krottel. What am I missing?

Suddenly, as if someone had turned on the television in her mind, she knew. She saw it clear as day. The premonition came to her in hi-definition, full color, full emotion, reality.

“No!”

It occurred to her she yelled into the quiet of the bridge. No one else saw the krottel obliterating the small ship in a fireball no one could survive.

Viera held out her hand and tried to stop what she just saw. Space was big … so big. The shuttle was small, but larger than the ten-inch green bouncy ball. The watch in her pocket heated up; she funneled more magic through the walking stick. She hoped the bracelet would amplify anything she had.

Space was so gigantic.

The krottel ship was enormous.

She pushed more magic out, as much as she could muster.

The beam of energy shot from the krottel ship.

More, I have to have more magic. Stop! I have to stop that beam! Tears fell from her eyes.

Her vision darkened as she saw the laser continue on its path. Viera tried to push out more magic. She heard voices around her right before her vision blackened and something cold hit her arm and then the side of her head.

Chapter 25 - We Know Best … Ladies

Betsy

The drive to Thorn’s house was familiar after the years she’d lived on Earth. Betsy knew the time was coming to an end now that Abritos was free of the krottel that apparently orbited above their heads. After the destruction of Juniper’s shuttle, it took every bit of diplomatic training she and Flower Prancer had to stop Thorn from starting a war right there in the dark space above Australia.

A full crew was left on the ship, though several people headed back down to the planet. If Betsy were to guess, Earth was in more danger than the Ziner.

Thorn had demanded Viera be taken to her house to recover after her collapse. Though Betsy had thought she’d heard some whisper of her friend’s turmoil in her mind before the collapse, Flower Prancer had heard more of it. Their closer working and similar magic types had created a bond that Viera probably wouldn’t be happy to know existed.

Viera’s outburst before she threw up a hand and poured every bit of magic she had out into the vast emptiness of space was enough to let Betsy piece together that she’d seen the explosion in a premonition before it had happened. A baby in the world of magic, even a seasoned warrior would have a hard time affecting that much volume of ship, space, and time. Viera was lucky to have survived the attempt.

Betsy wanted to arrange a meeting with Juk, their wayward youngling of a government official out in New York, to discuss the krottel ship just a bit further out and hiding behind the moon. She hoped that this time the powers-that-be would listen, but she wasn’t holding her breath. As she parked in front of Thorn’s house and headed up to the front door, she also yearned for her friend to be okay. Not only did she want Viera to be awake, she wanted her friend to be feeling better. The chanzii had a higher appreciation for life than the people of Earth, or so it seemed, so she knew Viera had been in good hands. Viera and Juniper had been friends. Betsy wanted Viera to head into this meeting with her, but she wouldn’t push.

The door opened quickly after she knocked. Scout gazed up, his green eyes bright. “Hi, Ms. Doeth. How are Buttercup and Westley?”

He stepped back, letting Betsy enter. “They are doing well, though Wes … Westley, is a scamp. He’s always getting into trouble.”

Scout snickered. “Mom was rather happy when she heard it was those two you were taking.”

From the back of the house, Thorn’s voice echoed, “What was that?”

Scout ran halfway down the hall and yelled, “Nothing, Mom! We’re talking about the ven.”

Thorn’s sigh was loud enough the neighbors could probably hear it. “Send Betsy to my room, dear.”