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“Welcome, Devika, are you ready for the journey?”
She looked around for the speaker, but didn’t see anyone. “Who are you? What is this?”
Why wasn’t she back on Space City? Had the old woman sent her to the wrong place?
“We spoke earlier,” the voice said, its tone familiar. “This is an Etaem seeker ship.”
It was the voice of the AI from Laquir, the underground city, though no hologram was visible.
“Where are we?” she asked.
A series of constellations cycled across the ceiling.
She pointed at them. “What is that?”
“It’s another map,” the AI said.
“Map to what?”
“To the Etaem.”
“What?” She backed up and bumped into a wall screen displaying ship data.
“You proved yourself worthy by passing the trial. You’ve been chosen as your people’s ambassador to the Etaem.”
Her chest tightened. She struggled to breathe, contemplating the AI’s words. I can’t go find the Etaem. Where are we headed? How long will it take?
“I sense an elevated pulse associated with fear in humans.” A mechanical arm appeared with a needle. “Shall I provide sedation to calm you?”
“No!” She raised her hands and bumped into the wall screen again. “Don’t. Please. I can’t. We can’t. I thought you didn’t know the way to the Etaem?”
“I said I didn’t know where the Etaem are,” the AI corrected. The mechanical arm retreated. “I do have the knowledge to find them. The data you found at the end of the Evanesco trial will lead us to them.”
The ship’s forward viewing screen showed them in deep space, no planets in sight. She dropped into a single chair in the flight deck, her heart racing, as she struggled to catch her breath.
“I can’t go.” She looked around the area, wishing for a hologram of the AI to focus on. “I need to return. To go home.”
“That cannot be arranged.”
“What do you mean? Send me back the way I came.”
“You were intercepted by a special thorneway with a booster this ship cannot replicate. We are out of range of any thorneways that can return you home. We must continue on until we reach the Etaem.”
“Out of range? Are you saying I can’t ever go back?” She gasped for breath, heart thudding in her chest.
“Not until we reach the Etaem. They can send you back.”
That was a relief. “How long will it take?”
“Exact data cannot be calculated. Perhaps it is best if I sedate you. You need rest.” The arm with the needle reappeared.
“No.” She gripped the seat arms until her hands hurt. “Do not sedate me or inject me with anything.”
“Understood.”
“What can you tell me about where we’re going?”
“Only that I have coordinates to a location. There we should learn more about where the Etaem have gone.”
“Great. How long will it take to reach that location?”
“Approximately one point three five Havendesh revolutions.”
She did a quick calculation. It equaled eighteen earth months. She moaned.
“A sedative so you can rest would be good for your health.”
“Absolutely not!” If that arm got too close, she would break the needle off.
“Very well. Then, to use a human term, ‘Buckle up.’ We are in for a long ride.”