Exactly as promised, they performed the second round of scans and blood tests on Leah first thing Monday morning. She went back upstairs immediately after for a meeting with Ellie and an investment group, but Kaelen promised that she and Einstein would analyze the data and inform them of their findings later in the day.
Einstein stood over one of the computers displaying results from their tissue and blood flow scan. “Quark! She is already showing a twenty percent increase in blood flow, not only to the injury site but to her entire lower body.”
Kaelen looked up from her own printout. “Was there anything on the EMG?”
He switched screens and opened the results. “Electromyography and the nerve conduction study both show marked improvement over baseline.” Einstein smiled at her. “This is working!”
“Of course. We are the creators, and two twelfth caliber intellects would never fail an endeavor such as this.”
Einstein nodded in acknowledgement of their combined capability. “Did she have any more pain after the party Friday night?”
“She experienced three more mild incidents of cramping followed by fast, sharp pain. None escalated beyond the first incident, and I had a high percentage of certainty that it was because of the rapid healing, centered on the place of original spinal cord compression.” Kaelen waved the paper she held. “I’m even more certain after seeing these results. Knowledgeable though I am, even I didn’t predict the rapidity of regeneration when combining the Lab twelve serum with the nanobots. This fantastic discovery could change the face of human medicine.” Kaelen frowned.
“What is it?”
She met Einstein’s curious gaze. “Are we changing too much, too fast? I was cautioned against such things by my parents. It was one of their objectives for me.”
Einstein tilted his head in thought, perhaps considering all the angles to their possible dilemma. “I don’t believe so. We have not introduced something new to Earth. All we did was give the current technology a more focused direction. This was the next step for them, Kaelen Ra-Evon. Let us enjoy the success.”
“Okay. I trust you.”
“Good. I shall make a call upstairs and ask Jenna to send Leah and Ellie down as soon as they’re finished. I’m sure they’ll want to hear the good news as well.”
Kaelen tucked the printouts back into the file they’d secured for the phase one trials. “While we’re waiting, would you like to see my design suggestions for Lockheed’s current photovoltaic cells?”
“Absolutely.”
It was another hour before Leah and Ellie made it downstairs. Leah seemed weary and the way Ellie squinted indicated she was suffering from a headache.
Kaelen looked back and forth between them. “Is something the matter?”
Leah answered. “I got a call from the hanger where the private jet is stored. Apparently, it failed the most recent inspection. It needs a part that is on backorder due to a safety recall and will probably take months to arrive.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that my lovely adopted daughter and I will be flying first class via Atpac Airlines on a direct flight from here to New York next Monday evening because Lockheed’s other private jet was booked months ago.”
Einstein looked back and forth between them. “First class passage is most acceptable.”
Leah sighed. “Yes, but still not convenient when I’m using this hoverchair. Either way, it can’t be helped. We have to attend this meeting, so I’ll do what I can to prepare for the more than five-hour trip. I’m also not looking forward to three time zones difference there and back.”
“Try it when you hit your sixties then talk to me about it.” Ellie snorted, but the tightness around both their eyes remained. However, their expressions quickly changed when Kaelen and Einstein gave them the results from Leah’s newest scans.
Leah sat in shock before saying, “There must be some mistake.”
“We’ve made no mistakes. Kaelen and I crosschecked each other’s results to be certain. She thinks the faster-than-expected activity is a direct result of the combined treatment vectors.”
“Yes. Rather than add the two predicted nerve function return probabilities to extrapolate a new one for the dual test, it appears as though simultaneous use of the serum and nanobots has prompted an exponential increase in healing speed.”
“How much faster?”
Kaelen shrugged. “For that, we’ll need another round of tests. Hopefully we’ll have a better idea next Monday morning. It is advantageous that you don’t fly out until evening.”
Ellie tapped her lip, something she often did when she was deep in thought. “And you’re certain this isn’t dangerous to Leah?”
Einstein nodded. “We have determined that while she may continue to experience mild to sharp pain and discomfort, it will not actually be harmful to her. They are merely symptoms of the accelerated healing process.” He glanced at Leah. “Obviously you should continue to monitor your vitals and record the incidents when they happen.”
“I do.”
“Good!” Einstein clapped his hands together, seemingly satisfied that all was well. “Now, if you need me, I shall be in the shielded room taking apart one of our high-capacity battery cells.”
Leah raised her hand to stop Einstein but he was already walking away. “Be sure to wear proper safety equipment, Trog! You remember what happened last time you took something apart back there.”
He stopped and turned on his heel to face the three women. “Unlike a certain CEO that I know, I always wear my safety equipment in the lab.” Then he spun again and continued toward the door that led into the smaller specialty labs of the SPL.
Kaelen found his comment curious. “What did he mean? Do you not always wear the proper equipment?”
Leah rolled her eyes as Ellie laughed. “It was one time and he never lets me forget!”
“Honey, you literally chastised him for not wearing an apron when he was getting ready to start the ferric chloride etching experiment and you weren’t even wearing goggles.”
“Fine, you’re right. But it was still more than two years ago. You all should let it go.”
Kaelen put her hand on Leah’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, zhee. I don’t think you would make such a mistake again.”
“Thank you!” She turned to Ellie. “See, Kaelen has faith in me.”
Kaelen elaborated. “Yes, even Earth primates have the ability to learn from their errors and not repeat foolish actions a second time.” Leah huffed and Kaelen smiled back at her while Ellie laughed at them both.
* * * *
A week later, the third set of tests showed even more improvement in Leah’s nerve function. To celebrate, Einstein talked Kaelen into coming out to dinner with him and Nalla. Leah and Ellie said their goodbyes then a driver picked them up from L-I and took them to the airport. Nearly two hours had gone by since they left, but Kaelen missed Leah immensely. While they didn’t spend every evening in each other’s company, they easily spent half their week together, so she wasn’t looking forward to the upcoming days of separation.
Kaelen enjoyed the evening with her friends. The three of them were having drinks in a sports bar near Kaelen’s apartment since Nalla and Einstein didn’t live far away from her. They were in the middle of a trivia game when Kaelen suddenly dropped the controller, certain that something was wrong. She froze in her seat and listened intently in an effort to discern what had changed to cause such a reaction. Kaelen focused her hearing outward, and the sound of a racing heart assailed her ears. Then screams.
Nalla snapped her fingers in front of Kaelen’s face. “Hey. I called your name three times. Is something wrong?”
Before Kaelen could answer, a beeping alert garnered everyone’s attention, and a banner scrolled across the screens displayed around the restaurant. Most of the sports bar, including the three of them, paused what they were doing to watch. Someone nearby yelled for the bartender to turn it up.
“If you’re just joining us, Atpac Airlines Flight 327 bound for New York began experiencing loss of altitude shortly after takeoff. The pilot appears to be circling the city after an apparent engine failure.”
Einstein sucked in a breath. “327. That’s Leah and Ellie’s plane!”
Suddenly, one of the anchors covered an ear, exactly as Kaelen used to do with Wex. He stared at the camera with a grim look upon his face. “This just in, we have reports that Flight 327 has now lost two of its engines and officials are concerned that they won’t make it back to the airport. The 787 is carrying 336 passengers and is currently heading toward downtown Los Angeles.”
“I have to do something.”
Nalla gave her an odd look. “What can you do? I only hope the CORP has something or someone that can help.”
Einstein grimaced. “I’m pretty sure even the CORP doesn’t have the ability to stop a plane crash.”
The heart that had become more precious to Kaelen than her own raced with frantic speed and in that moment, she didn’t care at all about hiding. She looked at Nalla and Einstein and said, “I need to go,” then she was out the door in a blur. Kaelen touched the edge of her collar as soon as she arrived in the alley next to the bar. Her clothing changed back to that of her ship suit with the glowing white House of Ra symbol on the front. Pavement cracked below Kaelen’s feet when she jumped into the sky, arriving at the location of the disabled plane in seconds.
Kaelen knew right away that lifting something so immense while it was under thrust would be significantly more challenging than her small ship. She wished she’d grabbed her communicators from her bag before she left the bar. Instead, she was only in possession of her thoughts and fears. Kaelen floated far ahead of the jet and calculated the velocity and lift needed to compensate for the loss of two engines.
Once she had the numbers in her head, she flew toward the plane, angling below it to match speed. Another engine caught fire and Kaelen blew it out as she heard the pilot onboard tell the flight attendants to brace for impact. She took immediate action and flew up so she was beneath the wing, supporting it. Kaelen had a view of the forward most window in the passenger cabin and saw Leah look out at her. Leah’s face was a study of shock and fear.
When lifting the wing proved to be ineffective, she flew beneath the belly of the plane, giving the entire aircraft a ride on her back. Unfortunately, the plane was directly over the downtown area, the skyscrapers and bustling streets below providing no space to bring down such a massive plane. Lights were shining off in the distance and she enhanced her vision enough to see a large green space.
The remaining engine gave out as Kaelen flew in that direction which put all the lift and navigation solely in her hands. When she arrived at her destination it became obvious that the field was a sports complex of some kind and in use. People in uniform were on the dirt and grass, and tens of thousands of watchers were seated in the surrounding stadium seats. Kaelen lowered herself and the plane toward the center of the open space. No one saw or pointed and she assumed they were focused on the game. A crack sounded and she watched as a small white object sailed toward her, only to bounce off her invulnerable forehead.
“Sprock.”
That’s when the screams started. She lowered the plane slowly, giving the players time to evacuate the field. Her position beneath the plane made the landing awkward. Luckily, the pilot had the foresight to put down the landing gear. The jetliner hadn’t lost power, just thrust.
The sheer number of people in the stands gave her pause and Kaelen thought it prudent to make an attempt at hiding her identity, especially given the number of cameras she saw on her initial approach.
Kaelen stood below the belly of the plane, watching to make sure it was stable. Just as she did before, Kaelen caressed her collar and the nanotech moved up the sides of her face to form an eye mask. Once in place, she floated to the top of the wing and gazed toward the front of the plane where she knew her beloved sat.
Leah stared out the window right where Kaelen stood, bathed in the lights of the stadium and news helicopters circling above. Then slowly, Leah’s face was lost from view as she pulled herself upright. It lasted only a second or two before Leah collapsed back into her seat again. Kaelen didn’t have long to be amazed because a loudspeaker cut through the night.
“Unidentified vigilante, place your hands on your head and await the authorities.” Kaelen looked toward the edge of the field and saw familiar black vehicles coming through a large service door. They were followed by a handful of emergency vehicles. She caught a glow in the night sky rapidly approaching and realized it was another powered individual, probably one of the CORP agents. Rather than wait around to be apprehended, she jumped into the sky faster than any of them could see or follow.
An hour later, Kaelen sat in her apartment watching the continuing news coverage of the incident. Wex spoke through the speaker system she’d installed a few months before. “Kaelen Ra-Evon, it may have been unwise to show yourself in such a public manner. Your efforts broke multiple laws tonight and you’ve been deemed a vigilante by local law enforcement and the media.”
“Wex, I saved more than three hundred people, including my future mate and her mother. I could do no less.”
“You must be careful in the future. It appears as though the brightness of your house symbol worked in conjunction with the mask and made your face unidentifiable on all the video footage taken. Your identity remains safe, but you may not be so fortuitous if you show yourself again.”
She sighed. “Yes, I know.” Something on the television caught Kaelen’s attention and she unmuted the volume.
“We have a caller on the line who says she recognizes that symbol. Hello, ma’am? You’re live on the air with WNLA. You said you have a name of the person who saved Flight 327?”
A woman’s voice came on and Kaelen recognized it from the night in the alley by her old apartment building. “Yeah, that lady is a hero. She saved my life when two men attacked me on my way home from work a few months ago.”
The news anchor prompted, “The video footage is unable to make out the person’s face. How do you know this is the woman who saved you?”
“She had the same mask and black suit with the crazy white glowing backward Z or S-lookin’ thing on the front. Said she was uh, the last Scion or something, whatever that means. I’ve been calling her Scion when I tell people about what happened. What else would the letter stand for?”
The image cut back to the recorded video of the plane again, showing Kaelen looking like a masked shadow in her ship suit, standing on the wing with the symbol of her house glowing for the whole world to see. The newscaster’s voice overlaid that of the helicopter footage.
“There you have it, folks. One eyewitness states this woman has played hero at least one other time before. The Chromodec Office of Restraint and Protection has issued a statement declaring that the woman is a rogue and should turn herself in for questioning. But until that happens, the identity of Scion remains a mystery. Who is she and where does she come from? More importantly,” the image changed back to that of the newscaster with his professional demeanor. He tilted his head forward slightly to draw the viewer in. “Will Scion be seen again?”
Then the camera angle abruptly changed as he looked in a different direction and said, “Well folks, it looks like the Dodger’s will hit the road until their stadium can be repaired. What will this mean for their winning streak?” She didn’t understand the dramatization of human news.
Kaelen curled her lip. “They’re calling me Scion?”
“Kaelen Ra-Evon, this world seems to prefer their powered individuals with some sort of codename. If they think your house symbol represents one of their English letters, it makes sense they’d deduce that was your identity from what you told the woman. Perhaps it is for the best. Especially if the alternative is that they discover your real name and arrest you.”
“I suppose” Kaelen grumbled.
“I would advise you to make a greater effort to disguise your identity in the event you choose to rescue more people of Earth.”
“How would I do that?”
There was nearly a minute of silence before Wex spoke again. “After analyzing the video footage from the news agency, it is obvious the mask was sufficient to hide your features. The symbol on the chest of your suit also has flash reflective properties so nighttime photo imaging would be unable to capture your face in normal night circumstances.”
“I didn’t like the mask. It was distracting and obstructed my vision just enough to be annoying.”
“Unfortunately, without a mask or something similar, daytime imaging would create a problem. There would be no shadows to hide your identity.”
Kaelen ran her hand through her longish hair in frustration and realized she was overdue for another cut. “Maybe this will help.” She used her maximal speed to rush into her bathroom and performed the routine styling using two mirrors and her laser vision. Then ran the exhaust fan to clear out the acrid smell. Kaelen continued to contemplate the problem of identity when she returned to the living room. “I think shortening my hair will help.”
“I concur, Kaelen Ra-Evon.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have anything I can attach to my ship suit that would work in conjunction with the existing nanotechnology responsible for altering my every day Earth clothing program. Perhaps I could—wait, I have the cloak gifted by my zodha and ghun after my induction ceremony!”
Kaelen sped over to the dresser where she kept a few of her personal belongings. She didn’t own much because she didn’t need much. The fabric was heavy, greater than standard Earth clothing. It moved with a sentience not found in anything else on the planet. The cloak contained the same technology and nanofibers that existed in her ship suit. It was reversible, with shimmering silver on one side, and the deepest black on the other.
“Kaelen Ra-Evon, you should be able to synch the cloak with your ship suit.”
“I’m well aware, Wex.” She quickly reversed it so the shimmering silver side faced her back. Kaelen swiped a few complicated patterns on the collar of her ship suit and the symbol flared brighter for a second then faded. She pulled the deep hood up and turned toward one of the cameras she’d installed in her apartment. “Wex, check for identifying characteristics.”
“Checking…complete. There are not enough viewable feature points for effective facial recognition.”
Kaelen touched the collar and the Dolem-Ra symbol returned to its normal brightness. “Check again, please.”
“Checking…complete. While viewable feature points increased by fifteen percent, there are still not enough for Earth’s most advanced facial recognition software. The hood is effective despite the brightness of Earth’s sun.”
“Thank you, Wex. I will be sure to use the cloak if I undertake another endeavor.”
Kaelen pushed through the curtain separating the living room from her sleeping chamber. She stood in front of the full-length mirror, turning one way then the other to see how the cloak looked with the suit. She hadn’t worn it since she was thirteen and still living on Argon. It had been ankle length then, but now it only hung down to mid-calf.
The buzzer to her apartment rang before Kaelen could dwell on it further. She activated the Earth clothing randomizer and the cape and ship suit disappeared into one of the two dozen clothing profiles she’d programmed. She didn’t need to ask who was downstairs because she easily heard Leah’s heartbeat strong and steady. Kaelen sped to the panel and buzzed her up. She opened the door to her apartment when she heard the elevator ding on her floor.
Relief washed through her as soon as Leah exited the lift. However, she wasn’t alone. Both Ellie and Maddy accompanied her. Kaelen was afraid of the look on their faces. Each one held worry and consternation. Rather than speak, she backed inside the apartment and gave the Tuck women room to enter.
Kaelen sped to Leah’s side once the door was closed and leaned down to look her in the eyes. “Are you okay?” Then she glanced at Ellie. “Are either of you injured?”
Ellie smiled kindly. “We’re both fine, honey. Just a little banged up.”
“Where is Tasha?”
“She stayed home. I rushed to the stadium as soon as I got Leah’s call saying they were both okay and unharmed. I had a feeling it was you, Kaelen.” Maddy ran a shaking hand through her hair.
Kaelen nodded, then realized for the first time that Leah was in the same chair she’d been in on the plane. “How were you able to remove your hoverchair from the plane?”
Ellie was the one who answered. “One of the CORP agents is able to make portals—”
“Portis, I remember.”
“Yes, anyway, some people went down the emergency slide and she helped evacuate the rest from the plane safely and quickly.”
“Kaelen,” she moved her gaze back to Leah. “I recognized your ship suit and symbol.”
Maddy added, “Ship suit? I mean, I thought but—it really was you in the black suit that saved their plane.”
Kaelen wasn’t sure how to feel, didn’t know why the others were so solemn after such a wondrous event. “I…I, um, yes. And I would do it again if it meant saving all those people.” She closed her eyes and swallowed, then looked directly at Leah. “If it meant saving you. I don’t care if the news is calling me a vigilante or a rogue.”
Maddy sighed. “You’ll care if the CORP finds out who you are.”
Kaelen snapped back, “It was the right thing to do! My found family was in mortal peril, other innocent people and children were going to die. How is that wrong?”
Maddy clasped her shoulder and squeezed it. “It wasn’t, at least not in my book. You saved my mom and my sister and,” Maddy’s eyes watered as she drew in a shuddering breath. “I can never thank you for that.” She pulled Kaelen into a quick hug.
“You don’t have to thank me, Maddy. You three are as much my family now as anyone I left behind on Argon. Will you stay for a bit? I’ve restocked the refrigerator for guests.”
Maddy said, “I’m going to grab a beer, if you don’t mind.” Kaelen nodded and Maddy went into the kitchenette to fetch herself a drink before taking it into the living room. She took a swig from the bottle, then placed it on a coaster and collapsed onto the couch. It was something she’d obviously done many times before since the couch used to be hers.
Ellie looked back and forth between Leah and Kaelen, then pointed to the kitchen. “I’m going to get some water.”
That left Kaelen and Leah by themselves near the front door to her apartment while the news replayed coverage of the crash in the background. Kaelen swallowed. “Can I hug you?”
In response, Leah raised her arms. Kaelen held her as tight as was safe. “I was so worried. I was sitting in the sports bar—oh no! I left Einstein and Nalla sitting there when I rushed out. I hope they have my satchel. It would go poorly for me if that were to be claimed by the wrong person. I should call them.” She made to pull away but Leah didn’t let her go.
“Kaelen, stop.”
Leah wore a strange look and Kaelen grew concerned. “Did I do something wrong? Are you angry with me?”
“No, darling. I’m not angry with you in the slightest. But Kaelen, they know you exist now. I’m terrified for you.”
Kaelen leaned back. “For me? I wasn’t the one who nearly died in a plane crash tonight.”
“It was reckless to reveal yourself the way you did. What if someone takes you away?”
“You were going to die!” Kaelen took a shuddering breath. “I can’t lose my world again. Don’t you understand?”
“Your world? Kaelen, Earth isn’t going anywhere.”
“No.” Kaelen swallowed and looked down at their joined hands, hoping Leah could understand. “You are my world. You’re my person, the one my heart loves above all others. I couldn’t let something happen to you. No one will take me away, I promise.”
Leah was silent after Kaelen’s admission, and Kaelen grew afraid that the depth of her emotion was not matched, despite their mutual declarations of love. Leah sighed and used her fingertips to raise Kaelen’s chin until they could look at one another. “I can see the fear in your eyes. You don’t have to worry about how much I care. My feelings are the same as yours. I think that’s why I’m so afraid.”
Maddy called out from where she sat next to Ellie on the couch. “Between the mask and the weird glare her suit gives off under the lights, they don’t know who she is. My guess is they’re not likely to figure it out either, even with the technology employed by the CORP. As long as Gabe keeps his yap shut, we should be okay.”
“How would he know who saved the plane?”
Maddy shook her head. “He may be an idiot sometimes, but that guy is brilliant and a trained agent. He’ll put it together eventually.”
Kaelen gave the hand she held a little tug. “Come into the living room. Do you need anything?”
“I’d like some water too, please.”
“Go be by Maddy and Ellie and I’ll join you in a few seconds.”
Kaelen blurred into the kitchen to fetch water as Leah zipped her hoverchair farther into the apartment and stopped next to Kaelen’s favorite seat. Kaelen handed the glass of water to Leah seconds later. Ellie turned away from the television. “They’re calling you Scion.”
Kaelen frowned. “I saw.”
“What’s this about a woman that called in saying you saved her from two attackers months ago?” Maddy took another swig of her beer and leveled a stern look toward Kaelen.
“I, she was…I heard screaming outside my old apartment. It was the night you and Tasha dropped me off. I saw two men assaulting a lone woman when I went into the alley to investigate. She was crying for help, Maddy. What was I to do?”
“What exactly did you do, anyway?”
Kaelen answered Leah’s question. “I delivered impacts of exactly one kilogram of force to each of the attacker’s chins, rendering them unconscious. When I lifted both into the air—”
“Into the air, like, above your head?”
“No. I flew into the air, carrying each of the men by the back of their pants. It seemed the sturdiest method. I was about to leave the alley to drop the men off at the local police station when the woman asked who I was. Wex cautioned me not to reveal too much so I told her I was the last scion of Ra.”
“Wait, you can fly?”
“Maddy, how the hell do you think she saved our plane?” Ellie rarely used Earth expletives and Kaelen suspected she was still upset about the accident.
Maddy flushed. “Sorry, Mom. Forgot for a second.”
“Yes, I can fly on top of all the other abilities.”
Ellie looked from Maddy to Leah, then back at Kaelen. “You have other abilities?”
Kaelen nodded but Leah answered for her. “Do you trust Ellie?”
“I trust you three more than anyone else. We can tell her.”
Maddy snorted. “Tell her? You still haven’t told me everything yet.”
Leah spoke quietly. “I didn’t know either, Maddy.”
Kaelen’s stomach clenched with guilt, and she realized the error of entering into a relationship without disclosing her abilities in full. She feared that keeping the rest of her powers a secret may have driven a wedge between them. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep it from you. But I don’t use many of the powers here in Los Angeles so I didn’t think of it. My only goal has been to assimilate and fit in here on Earth, to do good work. I don’t want you to be angry with me.”
“Oh, darling, I’m not mad at you. You do good work, the best.”
Kaelen blew out a sigh of relief.
“We’re only worried about you and want you to be safe. But we can’t help unless you share with us the things you can do.”
Everyone except Kaelen jumped when Wex’s voice came out of the surround sound speakers. “Kaelen Ra-Evon, it may be beneficial to have others aware of the full scope of your powers. The women from the House of Lockheed and the House of Tuck have proven their loyalty to Ra.”
She scowled toward the nearest camera. “Now you want me to tell someone? What happen to the precious directives you lecture me about?”
“Kaelen Ra-Evon, I do not lecture and they are not my directives—”
“I don’t need your permission, Wex. Please remain silent while guests are here unless I ask for your assistance.”
“As you wish, Kaelen Ra-Evon.”
Maddy tipped her bottle up to finish it off. “That thing is creepy.”
“It’s pretentious.” Leah made a face toward one of the cameras.
Kaelen laughed. “It’s neither of those things. Wex is an AI whose only purpose is to aid Dolem-Ra. But this is not an Argonian matter, it’s an Earth matter.”
“Ain’t that the truth!”
“Maddy, hush. Why don’t you have a seat, Kaelen?”
“Actually,” Leah interrupted. “Can I see your ship suit again?”
Kaelen reached up to caress the collar of her shirt and it rapidly shifted to that of her ship suit, the new version that was merged with the hood and cape.
“That doesn’t look like what you were wearing on the news. And you cut your hair. What does the backward Z mean?” Maddy pointed toward the image of Kaelen standing on the wing of the plane in the helicopter spotlight.
“Yes, well,” Kaelen pulled up the deep hood so her face was cast in shadow. “Wex suggested that I make it harder to identify my face while wearing the ship suit and performing illegal activities. I remembered the cloak given to me by my grandparents and integrated it into the suit’s technology. The symbol is not an English letter, despite speculation otherwise. It merely represents the symbol of my house, Dolem-Ra. It stands for an Argonian phrase that means Kymeth Sal ne Ra—”
“I remember that from your interview. With intellect we overcome, right?”
Kaelen smiled to hear her house creed spoken aloud by Leah. “Yes, that is the approximate translation to English.”
Leah reached out to feel the fabric of the cape. “This is beautiful and strange.” She lifted it. “It’s heavier than I assumed.”
Maddy looked her up and down. “It’s also effective at hiding your identity. Will the hood stay up while you’re, uh, flying?”
Kaelen touched the opposite side of her collar and suddenly the hood tightened around her head, completely covering her face. It left her eyes and mouth uncovered. “Will this suffice?”
Maddy snickered. “Now you look like you walked out of a fancy S & M club.”
“Madison Tuck!” Ellie swatted Maddy’s arm then turned to her with a kind smile, but conceded, “She does have a point. You may want to cover your entire face unless the fabric isn’t breathable enough. Or maybe you can turn it into a cowl while in flight, like The Staffman in Chicago.”
“Or Flashlite. Hell, even the CORP has helmets they wear when going up against super-powered people wreaking havoc.”
Kaelen had seen pictures of the two superheroes on the news often enough, though they rarely left their own cities. She scoffed, “How is it that Man Staff and Flasher are allowed to save people when they are not part of this CORP organization?”
Maddy nearly spit her beer. Kaelen gave her a questioning look and she explained. “It’s the Staffman and Flashlite. One is, uh, some broody baddass that cleans up the streets of the third largest city and the other converts vibration to light beams. Your names make them sound like B-grade porn stars.”
“What’s porn?”
Leah raised her voice to be heard over Maddy’s hysterical laughter. “Moving on, certain heroes work with the CORP as…I guess you can call them special consultants. It’s not in a legal capacity but they don’t kill anyone. They prevent civilian casualties and keep property damage to a minimum, so the CORP turns a blind eye to their activities. At least that’s what Gabe told us.”
Maddy snorted. “And nobody knows who they are so…there’s that.”
Kaelen thought of the various ways she could cover her face. “The cowl idea seems…constrictive. I disliked the mask I created after saving the plane because of altered peripheral vision. Perhaps I could do it only when I’m flying at maximal speed, and only use the hood for average wear in the ship suit.” The nanotechnology in the suit held some of the same function as the nanotech in her ship. She could link with it mentally to visualize what shape she wanted the fiber to take. It was the same way Kaelen’s ship could link with her mind to educate her on the long journey from Argon.
She caressed the collar one more time and the hood shifted so that her lower face and jaw were left bare. The black fabric came down the bridge of her nose, leaving the base of the nose clear as well as the lips and cheeks below. She also dimmed the symbol on the front to that of a metallic gray, as she’d done on other occasions. Kaelen looked back at Maddy, who’d been the most vocal about the appearance of her suit. “And now?”
“Perfect. As long as you can see well out of those eye holes.”
“Of course.”
Kaelen returned her clothing to a standard human pattern and took a seat next to Leah.
Ellie smiled at her. “Now that we’ve gotten that figured out, the scientist in me is dying to know what all these powers are. Will you tell us?”
Kaelen looked around the small group, her found family. “Our houses are linked now and I trust you. Our motto isn’t only for those of Ra.”
Leah took her hand. “Thank you.”
“You want to know about my powers. Wex and I ran tests when I first landed on Earth in someplace called the Northwest Territories of Canada. This is what we learned…” Kaelen told them about each power she had discovered through their testing, as well as the ones she’d discovered by accident since that time.
Eventually, Maddy and Ellie called it a night. Maddy said she’d drop Ellie off at her mother’s apartment in the city on her way back home. Kaelen offered to let Leah stay over, which she’d done on a few other occasions. That meant she had some necessary items there, like she used to have at Maddy’s apartment before Maddy moved in with Tasha.
When Leah was finished with her evening routine, she moved over by the bed and Kaelen blurred to her side. “Please, zhee. May I?”
Leah pressed her lips together and Kaelen recognized the look. Leah despised having things done for her. After some hesitation, she gave a weary nod. Kaelen turned back the covers and lifted Leah to the bed. She covered her and caressed Leah’s dark brow with her lips. Then, in deference to her guest, Kaelen took a soft set of pajamas into the bathroom to change. Leah’s gaze stayed on her when she returned, eyes never leaving Kaelen’s face as she came around the bed to slide beneath the covers on the other side.
Kaelen moved closer until she could caress Leah’s face. “Are you okay? You weren’t harmed?”
“I promise that I’m fine. And I’m definitely better now that I’m with you.”
“I will always be here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Leah moved closer until her head was on Kaelen’s chest and her hand rested on Kaelen’s stomach. Kaelen listened as Leah’s breath hitched, then hitched again and she broke down. “I was so scared. I was afraid that I’d never see you or anyone else again.”
Kaelen held her while she cried, stroking her dark hair, and whispered words of comfort. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re safe with me.”
“I know.” Leah took a shuddering breath, then repeated it again quieter. “I know.” Shortly after, she fell asleep. Kaelen stayed awake, listening to Leah’s heart beating in the dark.