Betsy spoke slowly. “All of them. If not now, then soon. If you’ve read my recent reports, you know that they need a planet and think that Earth will be their salvation. They want to evacuate all of us and take over the planet. If we won’t leave, they’ll take more extreme measures. They aren’t above extermination. They’re ignoring the Elders and seeing this planet as their species’ one hope of survival. To the krottel, it’s them or us, life or death, and Earth is the prize.”

Juk froze for a moment, then bobbed his head. “Did the bug tell you this? Do you have a way to communicate with a single entity?”

Viera’s jaw tightened. Though Juk was more respectful, they weren’t going to get any further with him than Benedict. They were just going to fail more pleasantly.

“I’m using the facts from what happened to Ms. Kor on Torville Station Number Six and what I know of the krottel. We need to be prepared.”

He slowly put down the pen. “It’s not that I don’t believe you. I do, but for now, with just one bug found, and it now completely contained, I don’t know that we have the resources to do more than what we’ve been doing: monitor the skies for enemy ships. With the chanzii ship orbiting and aware of what’s going on as well, I feel we’re well protected.”

“More needs to happen,” Betsy insisted. “It’s going to be an invasion. More than that, the chanzii ship will be gone next week. The paperwork has already been submitted, so you should know what’s going on.”

“That’s right—taking the octopus girl and her parents to the space station.” Juk nodded. “Will the two of you be going, too?”

Viera smiled, excited for the upcoming trip. “I will. The last day of school is coming up, so I’ll be free to travel.” She shot her friend a quick look. “And traveling out of Wisconsin, my home state, is always exciting.”

Betsy smiled. Until spring break, Betsy had always teased that she never traveled more than a dozen miles from home. Now she was in Washington, D.C. for this meeting, and next week she was off for a trip in space.

Many things had changed in only a few months.

“Well, great. Thank you for being so diligent in your work, Ms. Doeth, but I really feel for now this threat … well, isn’t. It was only one bug. We will make sure to double our space monitoring protocols, but beyond that, I’ll be sleeping just fine tonight.”

Betsy gave him a tight, almost patronizing smile. “Well, Juk, that makes one of us.” She stood up, and Viera followed.

Today had been Viera’s first real insight into what a Pillar did on Earth. It was ‘Take Your Newbie Pillar to Work Day.’ She’d come to be introduced to some of the government officials and begin to learn her way around. Though she hadn’t said much, she’d learned a lot from what she’d seen and heard.

Juk stood and held out his hand. “It’s been a real pleasure. Ever since they gave me the files last month, the idea of meeting you has been a dream. This is just amazing.”

One of Betsy’s eyebrows slowly rose. “I wish I could say the same.”

Chapter 2 - School’s Out for …

Viera

“Ms. Kor, Ms. Kor, when will the bell ring? Ms. Kor!” Scout waved his hand in the air, dancing in his seat.

With a sigh, Viera rubbed her eyes. This day couldn’t end fast enough. She raised an eyebrow at the boy. Of all the students in the classroom, he should know better. Very pointedly she drew her gaze from him to the clock on the wall, a digital clock that didn’t take any work to read. The glowing red digits read two forty-three. Class would get out at a quarter past three.

“You tell me, excited boy: how long do we have?”

Next to him, Tiffany tilted her head. “We have a half-hour, Ms. Kor. Since we’ve cleaned the room and packed up, will you read us a story?”

Warmth suffused Viera. She was going to miss the young girl. Usually, Viera could track her students after they left her class, but this year was different. First of all, Tiffany was an alien, and more importantly, she was heading home. Thorn and Horax were taking Tiffany and her parents to Torville Station Number Six to find a transfer ship to their planet. The family had been on Earth for the last ten years, and they were excited to be heading home. Viera was happy to be traveling with a better understanding of what it meant to be on a spaceship with aliens.

The second reason she couldn’t track the girl, or any of her students, was Viera was quitting her job as a teacher. Now that she was a Pillar, one of the very few magic-wielders on Earth, she felt she had a larger calling. She needed to focus on mastering her skills and be one of the six human go-betweens from the Earth governments and the different alien groups.

To be good at her new position, she also needed to learn about the diverse human cultures, as well as the myriad of aliens. She had a lot to learn. As her students would say: a lot of homework.

“Will you read, If Mom Became an Octopus?” Her smile brightened her face. Ever since she found out she was an octopus shifter, Tiffany had become obsessed with learning everything she could about the creatures. Earth octopi and what she came from weren’t exactly the same, but she still got excited every time the lesson focused on the eight-legged cephalopods.

“Of course.” The students all gathered on the reading rug and Viera sat in the reading chair. She took a moment to appreciate the simple act of reading a book to a group of young kids who enjoyed the story. She’d miss this. Sadness weighed heavy in her muscles as she read the book, then continued to read a few highlights and facts the book added at the end.

During the last few minutes of class, the students gathered their stuff and lined up to leave. This would be the last time she did this.

Viera realized the students blurred, and she blinked to clear her eyes. Over the weeks since spring break, one of the biggest lessons she’d focused on learning was controlling her sensing proficiency. Picking up the emotions, thoughts, and memories of the people around her could be overwhelming, fast. She released a bit of her hold to soak up her students' glee. Both the start of summer vacation and their excitement for starting third grade the next year.

Though Viera’s future had become so much more than this classroom, with its motivational posters, and small chairs and tables, she’d miss it. She was about to embark on an amazing future and do spectacular things she’d never imagined possible. She, little old Viera Kor, was going to become an important person … even if no one in the world knew it.

To her, teaching was one of the most important jobs out there. Helping children learn and grow both socially and intellectually. Walking away from this room …

“Ms. Kor, are you okay?” Tiffany squeezed her hand.

Viera squatted down. “I am. I’m just going to miss this room and all you kids, that’s all.”

“Me too, Ms. Kor. Me too.”

***

Out in the parking lot, Viera watched the last of her students walk off towards their home. Some students were picked up, but many lived close enough to walk. Scout and Tiffany rode together with Tiffany’s parents, so Viera hadn’t had a chance to see Thorn, much to her disappointment.

Tendrils of excitement and fear swirling within her, Viera turned to head back into the school. She was starting a new job. Would she be good enough? She was just an elementary teacher. Then there was the sadness of leaving the kids and other teachers she’d befriended. Over the years, she’d never gone as far as hanging out with any of her colleagues outside of school, but the other teachers and administrators were nice.

She sighed and slumped as she entered her room. “Well, Ms. Kor,” she said to herself. “It’s time to clean and pack up.” The janitor had left her some boxes. Over the last week, she’d been packing up mementos she wanted to take with her, but this was it. Take it now or leave it forever.

Tears pricked her eyes as she wandered her room, finding small treasures she wasn’t ready to part with.

“Are you really keeping all of those kids’ projects?” A dubious voice brought her out of her classroom-wandering.

Turning, Viera saw the principal. She wore a smart navy-blue suit with a cream button-down shirt. In contrast, Viera wore jeans and a dark green blouse with a black cat on it hanging from a tree. It said across the bottom: Hang in there!

“I thought maybe I would, yes. Why, you don’t think I should?”

The other woman huffed out a sound of disapproval. “Do you think you’ll remember any of these kids in five years, Ms. Kor? Or even two years?”

Viera bit her bottom lip then put the sculptures the kids made of their favorite mythical creatures in her box. She told them they could take them home, but some decided to leave the figurines as a parting gift for her, some just forgot. As she wrapped each one in paper and secured them in her box, she said to the woman who’d intimidated her for years, “I may not remember which student made which one, but I’ll remember the day they were made, the fun the students had, the creativity they put into each creature they created, and the love I had teaching them. The memories are worth savoring, even if some of the particular details are lost.”

“You really are a dreamer, Viera, aren’t you?” She sounded disappointed.

Not wanting to get into another one-sided discussion about how they differed, Viera squared her shoulders and stood a bit taller. “Did you want something?”

“Yes. We’re holding a going away party. You were liked here … by many. It started a half hour ago. There is pizza and ice cream, at least there was then. I believe there may even be a present for you. You’re expected in the break room.” After delivering her message, the principal spun on her heel and left.

I wonder why she came and didn’t ask someone else. Was she trying to be nice? Because if she was, she failed, brilliantly.

With a final look around the room, Viera secured the last box. Well, I guess that’s everything. I can pack the car after I show my face at what is apparently my party … that I wasn’t invited to. Am I at all surprised? She rolled her eyes as she walked down the hall to the soiree.

Chapter 3 - It’s My Party …

Viera